Oct 27, 2026 City Commission Meeting

[CALL TO ORDER]

[00:00:07]

COMMISSION TO ORDER AND BEGIN, AS IS OUR HABIT. WITH A MOMENT OF SILENCE. I ASK YOU ALL TO

[PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE]

[ROLL CALL]

COMMISSIONER PERDUE, PRESENT. COMMISSIONER SASSI, PRESENT. COMMISSIONER. NIGHT. PRESENT.

COMMISSIONER KILGORE, PRESENT. MAYOR LAGRANGE. YES. ARE YOU OUR INTERPRETER? GREAT. GOOD EVENING. HERE. I'M HERE FROM THE HISPANIC CENTER TO OFFER SPANISH TRANSLATION TO ANYBODY THAT NEEDS IT. BUENOS NOCHES. VENIMOS DEL CENTRO HISPANO PARA FAZER INTERPRETACION DE ENGLISH ESPANOL. PARA CUALQUIER GRACIAS. THANK YOU, THANK YOU. THIS IS OUR FIRST OPPORTUNITY FOR

[PUBLIC COMMENTS ON AGENDA ITEMS]

OKAY. I HAVE A FEW OTHER THINGS. I'M NOT SURE EXACTLY WHAT. AND ANOTHER THING IS ABOUT THE GROWING CONCERN OF CRIME. THAT'S AGAIN, IF YOU IF YOU'RE NOT REFERENCING A SPECIFIC ACTION ITEM, JUST COME BACK AT THE END OF THE MEETING AND THERE'S A, THERE'S A PUBLIC COMMENT TIME AT THE END OF THE MEETING FOR GENERAL CONVERSATIONS LIKE THAT. OKAY.

OH, OKAY. PERHAPS MAYBE I CAN COME BACK AT A DIFFERENT TIME. OKAY. PERHAPS. OKAY. THANK YOU SO MUCH.

OH, LUCAS, CAN YOU TURN THE MIC BACK ON, PLEASE? OKAY. CHECKITY CHECK. WE GOOD? ALL RIGHT. TRICK OR TREAT. LUCAS. STILL. AMPHITHEATER NOISE EXEMPTION. WE KNOW NOT ALL OF YOU WERE IN PLACE TO MAKE THE BLUNDERS YOU NOW SUFFER FOR, BUT YOU'RE HERE NOW.

IMPORTANTLY, THE CITY MANAGER, THE UNELECTED MULTI ADMINISTRATION THROTTLE ON THE WILL OF THE PEOPLE WAS HERE. AND HIS OUTSIZED POWER DEFINITELY FIGURES INTO THIS TOPIC. HE'S FUNCTIONING EXACTLY AS HIS ROLE WAS DESIGNED OVER 100 YEARS AGO TO SERVE OUR CORPORATE OVERLORDS. AND YES, THERE ARE PEOPLE COMPLAINING ABOUT THE SOUND WHO ARE JUST STODGY TRADITIONALISTS AND DON'T WANT TO SEE THE CITY GROW ECONOMICALLY, OR THEY'RE WILLING TO DISGUISE CLASSISM AND RACISM IN ARGUMENTS OF SOUND THAT TEND TO REVEAL THEIR BIAS WHEN THEY'RE MYSTERIOUSLY SILENT OR OTHERWISE RATIONALIZE THEIR FEEDBACK ABOUT CERTAIN ARTISTS OR GENRES. THERE ARE A LOT OF PEOPLE EXAGGERATING NUMBERS, LIKE A FRIEND OF MINE

[00:05:02]

WE DID. YOU SHOULD HAVE EXERCISED OVERSIGHT ON THE DESIGN AND CONSTRUCTION AND OWNED IT BEING OVER BUDGET. INSTEAD OF LETTING CORNERS GET CUT, THAT WOULD HAVE MITIGATED SOUND. AND YOU SHOULD HAVE CRAFTED AN ORDINANCE THAT STRUCK SOME BALANCE. INSTEAD OF BENDING OVER TO THE WHIMS OF LIVE NATION LEGENDS, GLOBAL CONCERT PROMOTERS AND MUSICIANS EGOS, YOU CAN STILL COMPROMISE. STOP THE SPECIAL EXCEPTIONS. CHANGE THE TIME TO 10 P.M. ON WEEKNIGHTS AND 11 P.M. ON FRIDAY AND SATURDAY NIGHTS FOR ALL ENTERTAINMENT BUSINESS. TO KEEP IT FAIR, MAKE FURTHER EXCEPTIONS VERY LIMITED, DELIVER TRANSPARENT AND TRACKABLE DOCUMENTATION OF IT. PUBLISH PROMPT AND ACCESSIBLE READINGS FROM THOSE SOUND MONITORING EQUIPMENT INSTALLATIONS THAT WE'VE NEVER SEEN. CREATE TAX REBATES FOR RESIDENTS WITHIN A RADIUS OF DOWNTOWN TO SHARE THE WEALTH BROUGHT BY AN INCONVENIENCE.

TODAY, YOU HAVE A CHANCE TO STOP BEING THE RUBBER STAMP FOR GREED OR A FOR THE CAA. DISCUSS THIS AND VOTE NO. MAKE IT CLEAR THAT THERE'S A BROADER SET OF NEEDS TO ADDRESS AND TAKE THEM ON. MAKE LAWS. THE COUNTY HAS TO OBEY JUST AS MUCH AS THE REST OF US. TAKE MEASURES THAT HOLD YOURSELVES AND EVERYONE INVOLVED TO ACCOUNT INSTEAD OF TRYING TO SIDESTEP THE COURTS.

GREETINGS, MAYOR LEGRAND, COMMISSIONERS, STAFF, AND MY FELLOW CITIZENS. GREETINGS IN THE NAME OF THE LORD JESUS CHRIST. MY NAME IS DANIEL, AND THAT'S MY REAL IDENTITY. I'M A FOLLOWER OF THE LORD JESUS CHRIST. I'D LIKE TO ADDRESS THE RESOLUTION ACCEPTING $12,000 GRANT FROM THE VOTERS, NOT POLITICIANS EDUCATION FUND. I JUST HAVE A QUESTION FOR CLERK HONDORP, PLEASE. DO NOT ALLOW ANY DEAD PEOPLE OR NON-CITIZENS TO VOTE. AND I'D LIKE TO GO TO THE RESOLUTIONS ONCE AGAIN, WHERE YOU ARE CONSIDERING APPROVING LICENSES FOR OTHER LIQUOR. DISTRIBUTORS. RESOLUTIONS ONE THROUGH THREE ON COMMITTEE ON THE WHOLE, ALL REQUESTING PERMITS FOR MORE LIQUOR LICENSES TO DESTROY LIVES AND MARRIAGES OF YOUR FELLOW RESIDENTS. ONCE AGAIN, I ADMINISTERED IN A HEARTSIDE NEIGHBORHOOD FOR ALMOST 50 YEARS, AND I CONTINUE TO SEE THE RESULTS OF ALCOHOL. YES, NOT EVERYONE BECOMES A STREET DWELLER BECAUSE OF ALCOHOL OR AT MEL TROTTER, BUT. I'VE SEEN IT SO MANY TIMES. ONCE AGAIN, IF YOU AGREE TO PERMIT THESE LICENSES, YOU WILL BE HELD ACCOUNTABLE TO THE ALMIGHTY LORD GOD THAT YOU ARE, AS IT SAYS IN HABAKKUK IN THE SCRIPTURES. WOE TO HIM WHO GIVES HIS NEIGHBOR DRINK, WHO PUTS THE BOTTLE TO HIM AND MAKES HIM DRUNK, THAT YOU MAY LOOK AT HIS NAKEDNESS, YOU WILL BE FILLED WITH DISGRACE RATHER THAN HONOR. NOW YOU YOURSELF DRINK AND EXPOSE YOUR OWN NAKEDNESS. THE CUP IS IN THE LORD'S RIGHT HAND. IT WILL COME AROUND TO YOU AND UTTER DISGRACE WILL COME UPON YOU. TALK ABOUT CAUSES OF POVERTY, CAUSES OF CRIME, CAUSES OF MARRIAGE, BREAKUPS. CAUSES OF CHILDREN BEING ABUSED, WIVES BEING ABUSED. ALCOHOL IS A MAJOR FACTOR. PLEASE CONSIDER WHAT YOU VOTE FOR. HELLO, MY NAME IS GABY MILLS AND I'M A MEMBER OF THE SECOND WARD. I LIVE ON EASTERN AND CHERRY STREET, AND I CAN HEAR THE ACRISURE AMPHITHEATER AT MY HOUSE. AND I KNOW THAT MANY OTHER MEMBERS OF THE CITY THAT LIVE MILES AWAY FROM THE AMPHITHEATER CAN HEAR IT. AND

[00:10:07]

BECAUSE THEY HELP. THEY ONLY HELP IF PEOPLE KNOW ABOUT THEM FIRST. THE CITY'S OFFICE OF EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT PRESENTED TODAY, AND THEY OFFER FREE EMERGENCY PREPAREDNESS WORKSHOPS FOR THE NEIGHBORHOOD'S COMMUNITY GROUPS AND ORGANIZATIONS. THEY ARE A PRACTICAL WAY TO HELP FAMILIES AND NEIGHBORS FEEL MORE PREPARED WHEN AN EMERGENCY HAPPENS. HEY, I'M SORRY TO TO I'M REALLY TRYING TO BE CONSISTENT. IF IT'S AN ITEM WE'RE GOING TO VOTE ON, YOU CAN SPEAK TO IT, BUT WE'RE NOT NUMBER FIVE UNDER UNDER THE UNITED WAY FOR THE GRAND RAPIDS UNITED WAY RESPONSE FUND. UNDER WHAT, I'M SORRY, ITEM FIVE IN FISCAL. YEAH. OKAY. THANKS. YEAH. AND SO WE JUST WANTED TO I'M GONNA LET YOU TALK. WE ALSO WANTED TO SEE IF ANY OF THOSE FUNDS COULD BE DELEGATED TO HELP CITY RESIDENTS PREPARE FOR EMERGENCY BLACKOUT, JUST IN CASE IT WAS TO EVER HAPPEN. KIND OF LIKE WHAT THE INCIDENT HAPPENED IN INDIANA, WHERE A LOT OF RESIDENTS, ESPECIALLY LOWER CLASS RESIDENTS, WOULD NOT BE PREPARED IF THAT WAS TO HAPPEN IN THE CITY OF GRAND RAPIDS. SO WE'RE ASKING IF ANY OF THOSE FUNDS WOULD BE AVAILABLE TO WORK WITH COMMUNITY PARTNERS IN EACH WARD TO HELP PREPARE THE RESIDENTS FOR THOSE ITEMS, TO HELP PURCHASE THOSE ITEMS AND MAYBE WORK WITH CITY ELECTIVES AND COMMUNITY ORGANIZATIONS TO KIND OF GET TOGETHER AND HELP PUT THOSE KIDS TOGETHER FOR FAMILIES THAT MIGHT BE IN NEED. A FEW YEARS AGO AT NEIGHBORHOOD SUMMIT, MARILYN, I THINK OVER AT BAXTER, SHE HOSTED A WORKSHOP WHERE SHE HAD THESE TOTES REALLY PREPARED FOR EMERGENCY DISASTER, BUT KIND OF MAYBE TWEAKING THOSE HOPES A LITTLE BIT, BUT SEE IF THERE WAS ANY FUNDS THAT COULD BE AVAILABLE TO HELP GET THOSE ITEMS ORGANIZED EVENTS. AND EACH WARD IS TO HELP PREPARE THE RESIDENTS JUST IN CASE IT HAPPENED, WHERE OUR RESIDENTS HERE IN GRAND RAPIDS WON'T HAVE TO SUFFER LIKE MANY DID SUFFER

[00:15:04]

TRAVELING SUCH A LARGE AREA DIMINISHES THE RESIDENTS USE AND ENJOYMENT OF THEIR PROPERTY, AND OVER TIME, I THINK IT THREATENS THE DESIRABILITY AND THE PROPERTY VALUES AS WELL. IF THE AMPHITHEATER NEEDS BELIEVES IT NEEDS TO BE LOUDER, I WOULD RECOMMEND THAT WE REQUIRE IT FIRST TO IMPROVE ITS SPEAKER CONFIGURATION, DIRECTIONALITY, SOUND BARRIERS, ALL THAT SORT OF STUFF. I MEAN, IT SHOULD BE ON THEM. CONTAIN THE SOUND IF IT'S POSSIBLE, RATHER THAN ELIMINATING THE PROTECTIONS THAT ARE THERE FOR THE CITIZENS. I'M ALSO ASKING YOU TO PROTECT THE 11 P.M. CUTOFF. 11:00 IS ALREADY TOO LATE, IN MY OPINION, FOR AMPLIFIED MUSIC PRODUCTION DELAYS, AND THAT SORT OF STUFF JUST SHOULDN'T RESULT IN LATER CONCERTS. IT SHOULDN'T BECOME THE NEIGHBORHOOD'S PROBLEM. AND HONESTLY, IF THERE'S ANY EXCEPTIONS THAT ARE GRANTED, I THINK THEY SHOULD BE TRULY EXCEPTIONAL. AND I THINK THERE SHOULD BE A FINANCIAL PENALTY TO THE AMPHITHEATER FOR THAT. FINALLY, I GUESS I'D JUST SAY I DON'T THINK THERE'S ANY REASON TO RUSH THIS RUSH THIS DECISION. I MEAN, THE OUTDOOR CONCERT SEASON IS DONE. YOU HAVE MONTHS TO GATHER AND EVALUATE INFORMATION AND OPINIONS AND POSSIBLE CORRECTIONS AT THE AMPHITHEATER ITSELF. SO I GUESS I JUST ASK THAT YOU PLEASE DO NOT ELIMINATE THE PROTECTIONS THAT HAVE BEEN WORKING AND VOTE NO, OR AT A MINIMUM, THAT YOU POSTPONE THE VOTE AND STUDY BETTER SOLUTIONS. THANKS. GILES HEFFRON, FIRST WARD, REGARDING THE PROPOSED AMENDMENT TO SECTION 9.66, THE CITY EXPLAINS THAT THIS AMENDMENT MERELY RESTORES WHAT WAS ORIGINALLY INTENDED AS THOUGH THIS WERE A CLERICAL ERROR OR SIMPLY A FORMALITY. BUT WHAT EXACTLY IS THAT SUPPOSED TO JUSTIFY? WAS THE INTENTION ALWAYS TO HAVE AMPLIFIED CONCERT NOISE INTRUDING INTO HOMES MILES FROM THE VENUE, OR WAS THAT THE OUTCOME THE CITY HOPED FOR?

[00:20:04]

PROGRESSIVE ENGINEERING SOUND STUDY SAID. THE SOUND MIX. THE SOUND WOULD MIX WITH THE FREEWAY NOISE AND WOULD DISSIPATE OVER THE RIVER. THAT WAS FALSE. PROGRESSIVES BILL CULHANE SAID THAT THE SOUND WOULD BE SOFT SPEECH AT OUR BUILDING. SOFT SPEECH COMPLIES WITH THE ORDINANCE, BUT THAT WAS FALSE. THEN, EVEN THOUGH THE SOUND WOULD BE SOFT SPEECH, THE CITY COUNCIL VOTED TO TRY TO EXEMPT THE AMPHITHEATER FROM THE NOISE ORDINANCE.

COMMISSIONER O'CONNOR SAID. IT'S CITY NOISE. LIVE WITH IT, AS IF ALL CITIES HAVE THIS NOISE. THAT WAS FALSE. THE 2023 HEARING WAS ILLEGITIMATE, WAS NOT LEGITIMATE. THE PLANNING COMMISSION BASED THEIR DECISION ON FALSE SOUND STUDY PROJECTIONS AND FALSE TESTIMONY.

CAN'T WE ALL AGREE THAT THE NOISE WAS LOUDER AND THE SOUND TRAVELED FURTHER THAN THE PROJECT? LET'S FIX IT. RECENTLY, THE DEPUTY CITY MANAGER SAYS THEY CAN REGULATE SOUND UNDER THE SPECIAL LAND USE THEY HAVEN'T. THERE ARE OTHER. AND BY THE WAY, THERE ARE OTHER GOVERNMENT AGENCIES THAT REGULATE SOUND. I WAS RECENTLY ADVISED THAT THE EPA INDICATES SOUND LEVELS ABOVE 55 INTERFERES WITH RESIDENTIAL USE. THAT'S EPA. YOU SHOULD CHECK THAT OUT. YOUR CITY CHARTER HAS A PREAMBLE THAT STATES, WE, THE PEOPLE OF THE CITY OF GRAND RAPIDS, IN ORDER TO PERFECT A MUNICIPAL GOVERNMENT, PROMOTE THE HAPPINESS AND WELFARE OF ITS PEOPLE. THE CHARTER FOCUSES ON PROTECTING THE PEOPLE. TO THE THREE COMMISSIONERS THAT VOTED IN 2023, THE SOUND PROJECTIONS WERE NOT ACCURATE. WHY DOUBLE DOWN ON THAT VOTE? THOSE THAT WEREN'T ON THE COUNCIL? THEN WHY RUBBER STAMP THAT PREVIOUS COUNCIL VOTE? PROGRESSIVE ENGINEERING'S BILL CULHANE GAVE TESTIMONY THAT G TWO DID NOT PLAN, BUT THEY

[00:25:04]

THAT BREAKS THEIR COMMITMENT TO THE CITY. THE AMPHITHEATER WASN'T BUILT FOR ONE SEASON.

CONVENE A MEETING OF PEOPLE AND BUSINESS TO FIND SOLUTIONS FOR THE LONG TERM. LET'S DO ALL WE CAN TO REDUCE THE SOUND. SO THE NEIGHBORHOODS TONIGHT VOTE. PLEASE VOTE TO TABLE THIS, THIS ORDINANCE OR VOTE NO ON IT. THANK YOU. HI, I'M SUE BROWN. I'M A DOWNTOWN RESIDENCE OAKS IN OTTAWA. SO LESS THAN A MILE FROM THE AMPHITHEATER. AND I SEE NO PROBLEM WITH THE NOISE FOR THE MINIMUM AMOUNTS OF CONCERTS THAT ARE ALLOWED. AND THE SHORT CONCERT SERIES THAT WE HAVE IN MICHIGAN. I LOVE THE ENERGY AND THE PEOPLE THAT IT BRINGS DOWNTOWN. SO I'M LIKE, LET'S KEEP IT AS IT IS LOUD FOR SOME. THANK YOU. GOOD EVENING. I'M RETIRED ARMY SERGEANT KIP HALL. I WAS NOT GOING TO SPEAK. I'M A DOWNTOWN RESIDENCE, BUT I'M ABOUT TO MOVE. WHERE I LIVE AT IS A SENIOR BUILDING, AND THERE'S QUITE A FEW IN THE AREA WHERE I'M AT, AND I SEE THE SAME THING GOING ON. PEOPLE BASICALLY JUST GIVING UP, GETTING A LAWN CHAIR AND GOING OUTSIDE BECAUSE THE NOISE INSIDE OF THEIR APARTMENT IS BOUNCING OFF OF THE WALLS. I'M A, LIKE I SAID, A RETIRED ARMY SERGEANT. I'M USED TO NOISE. I FLEW HELICOPTERS IN THE MILITARY. BUT MY THOUGHT PROCESS IS I'M LISTENING TO EVERYBODY TALKING. WE HAVEN'T EVEN DISCUSSED THE SOCCER STADIUM THAT'S COMING. SO THAT'S MORE NOISE, MORE TRAFFIC, MORE FOOT TRAFFIC. I LIKE BEING ABLE TO GO OVER TO THE YMCA THERE AND JUST WALK AROUND.

THAT'S WHY I MOVED DOWN THERE IN THE FIRST PLACE. AND NOW ALL THAT'S BEEN TAKEN FROM ME, I'M 63 YEARS OLD. I TRY TO STAY IN SHAPE, BUT MY EARS CAN'T TAKE THIS. AND I'M NOT THE ONLY ONE VOTE LIKE YOU LIVE THERE, OKAY? WHEN YOU VOTE, I DON'T KNOW IF ANY OF YOU LIVE IN THE RADIUS OF WHERE THAT NOISE IS, BUT I THINK IF YOU DID, YOU WOULD WANT TO DO SOMETHING ABOUT THAT.

SO VOTE LIKE YOU LIVE THERE. I RESPECT EVERYBODY THAT'S SITTING HERE. RESPECT US. IF YOU COULD PLEASE REFRAIN FROM CLAPPING OR CHEERING, THAT WOULD BE APPRECIATED. RUSSELL ARMSTEAD, WEST SIDE, GRAND RAPIDS. WHAT I'M GOING TO SAY I KNOW IS NOT VERY POPULAR.

PORTION OF WHAT I'M GOING TO SAY IS PROBABLY NOT GOING TO BE VERY POPULAR WITH THE PEOPLE IN THE ROOM. I LOVE THE AMPHITHEATER. AS A FORMER, AS A MUSICIAN AND A MUSIC LOVER, I LOVE GOING TO THE THE SHOWS THAT HAVE BEEN THERE. I LIVING ON THE WEST SIDE UP BY JUST JUST UP ABOVE JOHN BALL PARK AREA. I CAN HEAR THE CONCERTS DEFINITELY CAN IN THE SUMMERTIME WITH THE WINDOWS OPEN. ABSOLUTELY. WITHOUT QUESTION. IT'S NOT A NUISANCE TO ME. HOWEVER, ALL OF THAT SAID, CONSISTENCY IS IMPORTANT AND THERE ARE MANY TIMES WHEN I COME UP BEFORE THE COMMISSION TALKING ABOUT HOW WHEN THE COMMUNITY GIVES VOICE TO AN ISSUE, WE NEED TO LISTEN TO IT AND WE NEED TO ACT ON IT. EVEN THOUGH I DISAGREE WITH WHAT MANY PEOPLE ARE TALKING ABOUT IN MY OWN LIVED EXPERIENCE, THAT DOESN'T NECESSARILY MEAN THAT IT IS NOT AFFECTING THEM ADVERSELY, AND I DON'T THINK IT'S REASONABLE TO HAVE AN OUTDOOR VENUE UNDER THE DECIBELS AT THE PROPERTY LINE, UNDER THE DECIBELS FROM WHAT WAS THE COURT ORDER? I DON'T THINK THAT'S POSSIBLE. I DON'T THINK IT'S IT'S POSSIBLE FOR A MUSIC VENUE, AN OUTDOOR VENUE, ESPECIALLY THAT SIZE TO. I JUST DON'T THINK IT'S FEASIBLE. IT'S NOT IT'S NOT REASONABLE. BUT THAT ISN'T TO SAY THAT THERE ISN'T COMPROMISES THAT CAN BE FOUND HERE. IN TRYING TO WORK WITH THE PROPERTY FOR SOUND ABATEMENT. I KNOW IT MAY NOT SEEM REASONABLE, BUT AS THE RAPIDS ARE RESTORED, THAT IS GOING TO AFFECT HOW SOUND WAVES

[00:30:06]

THANK YOU. HELLO, MY NAME IS ALYSSA AND I LIVE ON WEST FULTON AND SOUTHWEST SEWARD. I HAVE BEEN ABLE TO HEAR THE AMPHITHEATER INSIDE MY APARTMENT WITH THE WINDOWS CLOSED AS I LIVE ON THE GROUND FLOOR, AND THEY ACTUALLY DON'T OPEN LATE INTO THE EVENING. I DO NOT WANT TO HEAR IT IN MY APARTMENT AT ALL. I EXPECT THE CITY OF GRAND RAPIDS TO HOLD THE AMPHITHEATER ACCOUNTABLE TO THE CITY NOISE ORDINANCE. IT DOES NOT MATTER THE ORGANIZATION OR THE PERSON. NO ONE IS ABOVE THE LAW. WE ARE SIMPLY ASKING FOR THE VENUE TO FOLLOW THE LAW. AS THE GOVERNMENT OF GRAND RAPIDS WORKS FOR THE PEOPLE. AND THE PEOPLE HAVE MADE THEMSELVES HEARD. THE MAJORITY OF US WANT THE VENUE NOISE TO FOLLOW THE NOISE ORDINANCE. THANK YOU. MY NAME IS MARY. MY NAME IS PETER STEENSMA. I'M A RESIDENT OF PLAZA TOWERS. I HAVE SPOKEN HERE BEFORE. I'D LIKE TO ASK YOU SOME MORE QUESTIONS WHICH YOU CAN'T ANSWER. DO YOU USE A SCALE WHEN YOU DIET? DO YOU CHECK THE MARKET IN THE MORNING? DO YOU CHECK YOUR WATCH TO SEE HOW MANY STEPS YOU'VE MADE IN THE DAY? DO YOU CHECK YOUR BANKING ACCOUNT TO SEE IF YOU'VE GOT ENOUGH MONEY FOR NEXT MONTH'S RENT? YOU MEASURE WHAT MATTERS. SO WHAT DO WE CONCLUDE FROM THE CITY RESOLUTION THAT SAYS WE DON'T WANT TO MEASURE THE SOUND? ONE OF TWO THINGS. YOU DON'T HEAR THE SOUND, OR RESIDENTS SUCH AS YOU'VE BEEN HEARING ALL NIGHT, DON'T MATTER. WHICH ISN'T. BUT LISTENING. DID YOU RECEIVE REPORTS ON THE AMOUNT OF BUSINESS BROUGHT INTO THE CITY BY THE AMPHITHEATER AND THE PROFITS? WHAT MATTERS? CONTAINING THE SOUND? WHEN YOU BUILD AN AMPHITHEATER LIKE THIS, WITH HIGH RISES AROUND IT AND A RIVER VALLEY IN FRONT OF IT, ISN'T EASY. BUT IT'S NOT JUST ABOUT A PRETTY SAUCER. ALTHOUGH IT IS PRETTY, IT'S ABOUT HOW WELL THAT AMPHITHEATER CONTAINS THE SOUND TO PERMIT IT TO BE A GOOD NEIGHBOR. YOU WERE TOLD AT THE BEGINNING OF THIS PROJECT THAT THE SOUND FROM THE AMPHITHEATER WOULD GO OVER THE BERM AND DISSIPATE OVER THE RIVER. WE KNOW THAT'S A MISTAKE. PEOPLE MAKE MISTAKES. WHAT ARE WE GOING TO DO ABOUT IT? YOU WANT TO BURY IT? WE'VE LEARNED THAT NOW, AND PEOPLE FIVE MILES UP THE RIVER HAVE THE SOUND IN THEIR LIVING ROOM. WE SAW A MOTHER WITH THEIR SON TONIGHT. WHAT ARE YOU GOING TO SAY WHEN HE'S OLD ENOUGH TO OBSERVE? MOMMY, THAT MAN USES A LOT OF NAUGHTY WORDS IN HER LIVING ROOM AT NIGHT. IS THAT THE STANDARD OF PUBLIC DISCOURSE WE WANT TO PROMOTE? IS THAT THE CHILDHOOD EDUCATION WE WANT TO SUPPORT? GOOD BUILDERS, USE A GOOD RULER. MEASURE TWICE, CUT

[00:35:19]

I'VE SEEN FIRSTHAND US BRING IN SIGNIFICANT AMOUNT OF PEOPLE FOR THE TRADE SHOW FROM OUT OF TOWN, OUT OF THE REGION, OUT OF STATE. AND I REALLY WANT TO SEE THESE VENUES SUCCEED AND SURVIVE. I ALSO HAVE TO TELL YOU THAT ON OUR THIS WAS THE FIRST YEAR THERE WAS A NICE LINEUP. THAT WEEK. WE HAD A LOT OF FOLKS IN FROM OUT OF TOWN. SIGNIFICANT AMOUNTS OF THEM WERE ABLE TO GO CATCH THE SHOWS AND, AND SEE THEM. SO IT WAS A REALLY BIG PLUS FOR US AND IT REALLY MADE OUR CITY LOOK GREAT. SO I'M HERE TO SUPPORT VOTING YES. ON EXEMPTING THE AMPHITHEATER FROM THE STANDARD NOISE OR NOISE ORDINANCE, SO IT CAN STAY UNDER THE 2023 SPECIAL LAND USE. I ALSO WANT TO CAUTION ANY TEMPTATION TO MODIFY THE PERMIT OR LOWER. I

[00:40:01]

AND A 12,000 PERSON OR PLUS VENUE. WE HAVE TO BE CAREFUL THAT THAT WE DON'T TAKE WHAT'S GREAT AND JUST MAKE IT OKAY OR GOOD. MY BUSINESS IS RIGHT ON THE RIVER. I'M RIGHT ON THE RIVER ALL THE WAY UP. I JUST CAME FROM THERE. I SIT THERE AT NIGHT, SEE NO NOTICEABLE DISRUPTION IN IN ANYTHING. WE HAVE PEOPLE THERE THAT ARE THAT ARE AT NIGHT WORKING. NO COMPLAINTS ON THAT. AND AND WE'RE NOT SEEING THE, THE MAJOR IMPACT IN OUR AREA AS WELL. SO THE 2023 SPECIAL LAND USE PERMIT, I BELIEVE, ALREADY HAS A DECIBEL LIMIT. WE NEED TO BE VERY CAREFUL. IT'S VERY REASONABLE. THERE WAS A LOT OF STUDIES THAT WERE PUT INTO IT.

SO PLEASE VOTE TO STAY ON THAT. IT WAS A GREAT SEASON. IT WAS A HUGE SUCCESS AND WE DON'T WANT TO SEE THAT DIMINISHED. THANK YOU. GOOD EVENING, MAYOR AND COMMISSIONERS CARA WOOD. I'M A RESIDENT AT PLAZA TOWERS, BUT ALSO THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF GRAND ACTION 2.0. SINCE THE VENUE IS OPENED, THE OVERWHELMING SENTIMENT I'VE HEARD FROM THE MAJORITY OF MY NEIGHBORS HAS BEEN ONE OF EXCITEMENT, PRIDE AND OVERWHELMING ENJOYMENT.

FAMILIES ARE ATTENDING CONCERTS, BUSINESSES ARE SEEING INCREASED ACTIVITY, AND PEOPLE ARE EXPERIENCING THE LEVEL OF ENTERTAINMENT AND ENERGY THAT FEW CITIES OUR SIZE CAN OFFER.

THE AMPHITHEATER HAS QUICKLY BECOME AN ASSET THAT MANY RESIDENTS ARE EMBRACING AND CELEBRATING. THE ORDINANCE AMENDMENT BEFORE YOU TODAY IS IMPORTANT BECAUSE IT PROTECTS THE ORIGINAL INTENT OF THE EXEMPTION THAT THE CITY COMMISSION GRANTED. THE AMPHITHEATER WAS DESIGNED AND APPROVED TO HOST WORLD CLASS OUTDOOR EVENTS, AND ITS ABILITY TO DO SO IS FUNDAMENTAL TO ITS SUCCESS. FOLLOWING THE RECENT COURT RULING. THIS AMENDMENT PROVIDES THE CLARITY NECESSARY TO ENSURE THE VENUE CAN CONTINUE TO OPERATE AS ENVISIONED AND AS RESIDENTS, WE UNDERSTAND THAT LIVING IN A VIBRANT AND GROWING CITY INVOLVES BALANCING COMPETING INTERESTS. WE ALSO RECOGNIZE THAT TRANSFER COMMUNITY ASSETS REQUIRE THOUGHTFUL ACCOMMODATION. THE REALITY IS THAT THOUSANDS OF RESIDENTS ARE BENEFITING FROM THIS INVESTMENT THROUGH ENTERTAINMENT OPPORTUNITIES, JOBS, ADDITIONAL ECONOMIC ACTIVITY, INCREASED VISITATION AND A STRONGER SENSE OF CIVIC PRIDE. THIS AMENDMENT AFFIRMS THAT FUTURE SUPPORTS OF A MAJOR PUBLIC INVESTMENT AND PROVIDE CERTAINTY FOR RESIDENTS, BUSINESSES AND EVENT ORGANIZERS ALIKE. I WANT TO THANK THE CITY STAFF THAT HAS WORKED DILIGENTLY ON THIS ISSUE, ALONG WITH OTHERS ASSOCIATED WITH THE AMPHITHEATER, AND I APPRECIATE THE SUPPORT OF THE ORDINANCE AMENDMENT. THANKS. GOOD EVENING. I AM RICK NGUYEN, CURRENT CHAIR OF THE CONVENTION ARENA AUTHORITY, BUT ALSO A CITY RESIDENT. I'VE BEEN A RESIDENT FOR OVER TWO DECADES. I LIVE BLOCKS FROM THE AMPHITHEATER. I HAVE CLEAR SIGHT AND I'M ON THE RIVER. I'VE NEVER HAD A PROBLEM WITH ANY OF THE NOISE, SO I'M OFFERING MY SUPPORT FOR THE PROPOSED ORDINANCE, AMENDING THE CITY NOISE CODE TO RESTORE THE EXCEPTIONS INTENDED FOR THE AMPHITHEATER. BY NOW YOU HAVE HEARD THAT THE AMPHITHEATER OUTPERFORMED EXPECTATIONS IN ITS OPENING SEASON 48 SHOWS 400,000 EXUBERANT ATTENDEES AND FANS, MOST A LOT OF WHOM ARE CITY RESIDENTS AS WELL. AND I WOULD HOPE THAT YOU WOULD TAKE THOSE RAVING FANS WHO ARE CITIZENS INTO CONSIDERATION AS WELL. I WISH THAT MORE OF THEM WOULD HAVE SHOWN UP TONIGHT.

BEYOND THAT, THIS PUBLICLY OWNED VENUE SERVES AS A GATHERING PLACE FOR THE COMMUNITY, STARTING WITH THE FREE OPENING CELEBRATION AND DRONE SHOW, PLUS FREE EVENTS LIKE THE WEST MICHIGAN CONSTRUCTION INSTITUTE GALA AND THE FREE ARTPRIZE CLOSING CEREMONY AND FASHION SHOW, WHERE WE BROKE A WORLD RECORD, BY THE WAY, WE'RE SEEING THE BROADER COMMUNITY EMBRACE THE AMPHITHEATER AS ITS OWN. WE EXPECT THE ENTHUSIASM TO GROW AS WE ACTIVATE IT IN THE OFF SEASON. WITH THE POTENTIAL EXPANSION OF WORLD OF WINTER AND CHRIS KINDLE MARKET IN YEARS TO COME. WITH YOUR FULL SUPPORT, WE WILL CONTINUE TO DELIVER ON THE PROMISES MADE WHEN OUR CITY, COUNTY AND BUSINESS AND PHILANTHROPIC COMMUNITY RALLIED AROUND THIS VISION FOR A DOWNTOWN RIVERFRONT AMPHITHEATER. THANK YOU. GOOD EVENING, MAYOR COMMISSION. MY NAME IS JOSH LUNGER. I AM A SECOND WARD

[00:45:03]

WHEN WE DIDN'T HAVE MICROPHONES. AND TO ME, AN AMPHITHEATER IS MEANT FOR ACOUSTIC INSTRUMENTS.

THAT'S KIND OF THE ORIGINAL PURPOSE. AND SO TO HAVE SOMETHING LIKE AN AMPHITHEATER AND HAVE VERY LOUD AMPLIFICATION FROM INSTRUMENTS AND SINGING AND EVERYTHING ELSE, TO ME, THAT IS A LITTLE BIT OF OVERKILL. AND I THINK YOU CAN SEE FROM THE COMMENTS TODAY THAT A LOT OF PEOPLE AGREE, AND I DON'T THINK IT'S UNREASONABLE TO ASK THAT THEY FOLLOW THE CITY NOISE ORDINANCE. A LOT OF THE PEOPLE SUPPORT THAT THE AMPHITHEATER IS THERE, BUT THEY JUST WANT TO HAVE A LIMIT THAT THEY WOULD FOLLOW THE SAME RULES AS EVERYBODY ELSE. SO I WOULD ASK THAT YOU VOTE NO TO GIVE THEM AN EXCEPTION TO THE CITY ORDINANCE. THANK YOU. MY NAME IS NICK. I'M ON THE SECOND WARD, LAKE MONROE KNAPP, NORTHEAST SIDE OF TOWN. I, I GO, I'VE ACTUALLY BEEN TO THESE THIS PLACE THE AMPHITHEATER ABOUT TEN TIMES. BUT OBVIOUSLY THERE ARE MANY MORE DATES WHICH I DON'T GO TO. SHOULD I HAVE TO LISTEN TO IT INSIDE MY HOUSE

[00:50:04]

PLEASE CONSIDER WHAT IT MEANS FOR A FAMILY TRYING TO SETTLE IN FOR THE EVENING. THEIR HOME.

THEY SHOULD BE ABLE TO REST AND PUT THEIR CHILDREN TO BED. THESE ARE VOLUNTARILY VOLUNTARY RESIDENT REPORTS. THE RATINGS REFLECT THEIR EXPERIENCE AND THE CITY GAVE SPECIFIC PLACES THEY. THEY GIVE THE CITY SPECIFIC PLACES AND TIMES TO INVESTIGATE WITH WRITTEN ACCOUNTS AND EXPLAIN WHAT PEOPLE HEARD. THAT'S A PRACTICAL STARTING POINT FOR AN INDEPENDENT MONITORING IN THE AFFECTED NEIGHBORHOODS. WITH THE FINDINGS MADE PUBLIC.

RESIDENTS SHOULD HAVE A CLEAR WAY TO SHOW HOW THE REPORTS ARE BEING EVALUATED AND WHAT ACTION FOLLOWS WHATEVER LANGUAGE THE CITY ADOPTS. THOSE EXPERIENCES INSIDE HOMES REMAIN THE TEST OF WHETHER THE POLICY IS WORKING. I HAVE DETAILED TOPOGRAPHIC MAPS AND REPORTS OF RESIDENTS FROM ALL OVER GRAND RAPIDS, AND IT PAINTS A CLEAR PICTURE THAT THE AUDIO IS TRAVELING THROUGH A LARGE ACOUSTIC CHANNEL TO RESIDENTS AS FAR AS EIGHT MILES AWAY. NOT ONE PERSON HAS POSTED ON MY SITE THAT DOESN'T SIT DIRECTLY ON THE EDGE OF OR WITHIN THAT CHANNEL. THERE ARE AREAS WHERE THE SOUND DOESN'T REACH. THERE ARE MANY MORE WHERE IT DOES. PROTECTING THE PEOPLE OF THE CITIES. PROTECTING THE PEOPLE WITH THE CITY'S PEACE AND QUIET DOESN'T MEAN THE AMPHITHEATER CAN'T THROW A GREAT CONCERT. IT MEANS THEY NEED TO INVEST SOME OF THE REVENUE THOSE 400,000 ATTENDANTS BROUGHT IN, MAKING SURE THE VENUE RESPECTS AND SUPPORTS THE COMMUNITY THAT PROVIDED THE OPPORTUNITY FOR IT TO EXIST IN THE FIRST PLACE.

TONIGHT, PLEASE RETAIN THE ORDINANCES PROTECTIONS. USE THE TIME BEFORE NEXT SEASON TO ESTABLISH ENFORCEABLE STANDARDS THAT ADDRESS WHAT RESIDENTS ARE EXPERIENCING, INCLUDING BASED INSIDE THEIR HOMES. THE PEOPLE SUBMITTING THESE REPORTS ARE GIVING THE CITY USEFUL INFORMATION. PLEASE USE IT TO SHAPE A SOLUTION. A SUCCESSFUL AMPHITHEATER CAN BE A TREMENDOUS ASSET TO GRAND RAPIDS, BUT PROTECTING THE PEOPLE WHO LIVE HERE IS PART OF THAT SUCCESS. THANK YOU. THANK. THAT'S ALL THE REPORTS. HI, MY NAME IS MARCO JOHNSON. I DON'T HAVE A PREPARED SPEECH, BUT I DO SUPPORT EVERYONE WHO OPPOSES THIS EXTENSION OF THE NOISE ORDINANCE. AS YOU KNOW, I HAD TO MOVE FROM BRIDGE STREET BECAUSE OF THE NOISE NOT BEING IN BEING ENFORCED. SO I MOVED OVER FOUR BLOCKS FROM THE AMPHITHEATER. OF COURSE, I'M ON THE WEST SIDE, SO THERE'S A RIVER AND THE PLACE ACROSS THE STREET PUT IN. THAT'S WHERE THE ORBIT ROOM MOVED. SO I HAD TO HIRE AN ATTORNEY TO TAKE CARE OF THAT ONE. PLUS SPEND 20,000 ON SOUND BLOCKING WINDOWS AND STILL DIDN'T HELP. I MEAN, IT DID HELP ACROSS THE STREET, BUT I DIDN'T PUT THEM ON THE EAST SIDE WHERE THE NOISE IS COMING ON. NOW, IF YOU GUYS WANT TO PAY FOR THAT, THAT'D BE GREAT. AND YOU KNOW, I'M PART OF THE I WAS PART OF THE NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION. AND, YOU KNOW, THEY CAME IN AND TALKED TO US NEVER ONCE. AND OUR BIGGEST CONCERN NOISE AND NEVER WAS IT MENTIONED THAT THE SOUND ORDINANCE WAS GOING TO BE

[00:55:06]

SO WHO ARE YOU MAKING DECISIONS FOR? ARE YOU MAKING DECISIONS FOR LIKE THE BUSINESS OWNERS WHO ARE GETTING A CUT OF ALL THIS EXTRA REVENUE OR YOU MAKING DECISIONS BASED ON THE NEEDS OF THE AVERAGE CITIZEN WHO IS NOT GETTING A CUT AND WHO JUST DESERVES TO HAVE PEACE AND QUIET AFTER 11 P.M. FOR GOD'S SAKE. OR I DON'T KNOW. ON THE OTHER HAND, MAYBE GIVE THEM A CUT THEN, RIGHT? LIKE IF YOU'RE GOING TO EXEMPT THIS ORDINANCE, THEN LIKE MAYBE EVERY CITIZEN WHO LIVES WITHIN THE AREA THAT THEY CAN'T HAVE A PEACEFUL EVENING, SEND THEM A CHECK. SOMETHING HAS TO HAPPEN THOUGH. BUT I JUST WANT I THINK OTHER PEOPLE HAVE SAID IT BEFORE ABOUT OTHER DIFFERENT, EVEN DIFFERENT THINGS. WHO ARE YOU MAKING DECISIONS FOR? IS IT FOR BUSINESS? IS IT FOR THE CHAMBER OR IS IT FOR THE PEOPLE? MY NAME IS HAL FRUIT. I LIVE AT PLAZA TOWERS. I HAVE A DIRECT LINE OF SIGHT TO THE AMPHITHEATER STAGE FROM MY LIVING ROOM. UNLIKE TWO OF MY NEIGHBORS WHO SPOKE EARLIER, THE AMPHITHEATER HAS BEEN A FINANCIAL SUCCESS FOR THE CITY, AND I HOPE IT ATTRACTS 500,000 CUSTOMERS NEXT YEAR. BUT ITS SUCCESS SHOULD NOT COME AT THE EXPENSE OF THE QUALITY OF LIFE OF THE PEOPLE WHO LIVE NEARBY.

THE NOISE BEGINS EARLY IN THE AFTERNOON WITH SOUND CHECKS AND CONTINUES TILL 11 P.M. IT IS NOT JUST BACKGROUND NOISE, IT IS THE POUNDING BASS TO HAVE A CONVERSATION IN MY LIVING ROOM.

I HAVE TO RAISE MY VOICE TO HEAR THE TELEVISION. I MUST TURN UP THE VOLUME. I MUST ALSO TURN UP THE AIR CONDITIONING TO HELP DROWN OUT THE CONSTANT NOISE. I TRY TO LEAVE TOWN WHENEVER POSSIBLE, AND THERE'S A CONCERT GOING ON, AND THE IMPACT DOES NOT END WHEN THE MUSIC STOPS, IT TAKES ME TIME TO CALM DOWN AT THE END OF THE NIGHT BEFORE I CAN GO TO SLEEP, MY HOME SHOULD BE A PLACE WHERE I CAN HAVE A CONVERSATION, WATCH TELEVISION AND RELAX IN THE EVENING WITHOUT HAVING TO COMPETE WITH CONCERT NOISE. I LISTEN TO YOUR DISCUSSION ON OCTOBER 6TH. WHAT STRUCK ME MOST WAS THAT I DID NOT HEAR ANY MEANINGFUL CONCERN FROM EITHER MY ELECTED REPRESENTATIVES OR CITY OFFICIALS ABOUT THE NOISE, COMPLAINTS OF PEOPLE LIVING DOWNTOWN AND IN THE SHADOW OF THE AMPHITHEATER AND IN SURROUNDING NEIGHBORHOODS. DO YOU CARE ABOUT THE RESIDENTS WHO ARE AFFECTED, OR DO YOU HAVE THE FINANCIAL BENEFITS OF THE AMPHITHEATER BECOME SO IMPORTANT THAT THE CONCERNS OF THE PEOPLE WHO LIVE HERE ARE TAKING A BACK SEAT? I SINCERELY HOPE THIS IS NOT THE CASE, BUT THAT IS THE IMPRESSION THAT IS BEING CREATED. DURING THAT DISCUSSION, THE ASSISTANT CITY MANAGER STATED. THE AMPHITHEATER IN PARTICULAR IS GOVERNED BY A SPECIAL LAND USE PERMIT, WHICH INCLUDES SOME CONSIDERATIONS OF DECIBEL LIMITATIONS ON CERTAIN SPOTS IN THE AMPHITHEATER PROPERTY, AND HAS A NOISE MONITORING SYSTEM THAT THE CITY HAS ACCESS TO.

RESIDENTS HAVE REQUESTED THIS MONITORING DATA AND HAVE NOT RECEIVED IT. WHY IS THAT INFORMATION NOT BEING PROVIDED? WE NEED TRANSPARENCY, NOT ASSURANCES THAT A MONITORING SYSTEM EXISTS, THE CITY MANAGER STATED. WE HAVE CONCERNS AROUND SOUND, BUT I THINK WHAT WE'VE EXPERIENCED TOWARD THE END OF THE AMPHITHEATER SEASON WERE VERY FEW COMPLAINTS RELATED TO WHAT WE EXPERIENCED EARLY. WHAT WERE THE COMPLAINTS, WHAT WAS THE FEEDBACK AND WHAT HAS BEEN DONE TO ADDRESS IT? A REDUCTION IN COMPLAINTS DOES NOT NECESSARILY MEAN A REDUCTION IN PROBLEM. IF THIS ORDINANCE PASSES WITHOUT ADEQUATE LIMITS OR SAFEGUARDS, THE PROTECTIONS WILL. RESIDENTS WILL HAVE EXTREME NOISE DEVICES SUCH AS MILITARY STYLE, LONG RANGE ACOUSTIC DEVICES, OR LRADS SHOW THAT DIRECTED SOUND TECHNOLOGY CAN PRODUCE EXTREMELY HIGH

[01:00:04]

I'M NOT SUGGESTING THE AMPHITHEATER INTENDS TO USE THESE DEVICES, BUT MY POINT IS WE SHOULD NOT ADOPT AN ORDINANCE WITHOUT CLEAR, ENFORCEABLE LIMITS. I'M ASKING FOR THIS RESOLUTION TO BE TABLED OR VOTED NO FOR SOLUTIONS. I THINK THE CITY SHOULD. YOUR TIME IS UP. HAIL. PASTOR SCOTT. YOU GET ONE SHOT AT EACH OF THESE TIMES. DURING THIS FIRST TIME DURING PUBLIC HEARINGS, IF WE HAVE ANY. AND THEN AT THE END. SO IT'S IN OUR RULES. YOU KNOW, YOU CAN ADDRESS IT IN YOUR THREE MINUTES. THANK YOU. HI, MY NAME IS SUSAN. OH, SORRY. THAT WAS ME. CAN YOU HEAR ME? OKAY, I MY NAME IS SUSAN WARD AND I LIVE ON, I GUESS, THE SECOND WARD ON KNAPP AND PLAINFIELD. AND I'VE BEEN A GRAND RAPIDS RESIDENT PROPERTY OWNER FOR 32 YEARS. AND IT USED TO BE SUCH A QUIET LITTLE STREET ON KNAPP, BUT NOW IT'S JUST CRAZY. IT'S SO LOUD. AND NOW WE HAVE TO ADD THE AMPHITHEATER TO IT NOW. I LOVE THE AMPHITHEATER. I THINK IT'S ABSOLUTELY BEAUTIFUL. AND I WAS REALLY EXCITED TO HAVE THAT COME TO OUR CITY. SO I DIDN'T HAVE TO DRIVE ALL THE WAY TO DETROIT OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT FOR A CONCERT, BUT IT'S BEAUTIFUL. I LOVE GRAND RAPIDS, BUT I JUST WISH WE COULD CONTROL THE NOISE. IT'S, YOU KNOW, I HAVE AN OLD HOUSE AND IT'S THE WINDOWS WERE RATTLING, THE CAT WAS GROWLING. AND IT WAS LIKE, WHAT ON EARTH IS THAT NOISE? AND SO I LIVE RIGHT ACROSS THE STREET FROM THE KENT COUNTRY CLUB. AND I WAS LIKE, IT WAS A WEDNESDAY NIGHT. AND I SAID, WHAT IS THERE'S NO PARTIES ON WEDNESDAY NIGHT. AND I LOOKED OUT THERE AND IT WAS SO LOUD. AND I WAS LIKE, WHAT? SO I DROVE IN MY CAR AND I WAS LIKE, AND I GOT CLOSE. AND I WAS LIKE, OH MY GOSH, IT'S THE AMPHITHEATER. BUT ANYWAY, IF WE COULD CONTROL THE SOUND I LOVE, IT'S A BEAUTIFUL FACILITY. I'VE GONE TO A COUPLE CONCERTS THERE. AND IF WE COULD JUST CONTROL THAT BAFFLES WHATEVER, YOU KNOW, THERE'S LOTS OF ENGINEERS IN THIS CITY THAT CAN, I'M SURE THAT WOULD LOVE TO HELP YOU WITH THIS. SO THANK YOU VERY MUCH. GOOD EVENING. BLAKE EDMONDS, FIRST WARD RESIDENT. I WILL KEEP MY COMMENTS BRIEF. I CAN SAY, AS EXCITED AS I HAVE BEEN TO SEE THE DEVELOPMENT THAT'S COME TO OUR CITY, MAKING US ONE OF THE FASTEST GROWING IN THE COUNTRY. THE AMPHITHEATER INCLUDED IN THAT, AND I THINK EVERYBODY HERE CAN AGREE. IT IS GREAT TO SEE THAT LEVEL OF DEVELOPMENT COME HERE. THAT BEING SAID, UNFORTUNATELY, WHAT WE HAVE SEEN ALONG WITH THE AMPHITHEATER IS WHAT CAN APPEAR TO BE TO MANY PEOPLE.

THE THE THE REFUSAL TO ACKNOWLEDGE THE VOICE OF THE CITIZENS. AND THAT IS NOT TO SAY THAT WE CAN'T STILL HAVE AN AMAZING AMPHITHEATER AND BRING IN A LEVEL. SHOWS, BUT I THINK IT WOULD GO A LONG WAY FOR EVERY RESIDENT IN THIS ROOM TO KNOW, EITHER THROUGH THE ACTION OF TABLING OR VOTING NO ON THIS, THAT THEY'VE BEEN HEARD, AND THAT THERE ARE SOLUTIONS BEING THOUGHT ABOUT AND TAKEN ACTION ON BEFORE NEXT SEASON TO MAKE SURE THAT WE CAN ALL CONTINUE TO ENJOY OUR CITY. THOSE WHO ARE NEW HERE AND THOSE WHO HAVE LIVED HERE THEIR ENTIRE LIVES.

BUT AGAIN, I THINK I GO BACK TO IT'S JUST A WILLINGNESS TO SEE THOUGHTFUL ACTION TAKEN BY OUR CITY COMMISSION, AND I WILL LEAVE IT AT THAT. THANK YOU. HELLO, FRIENDS. MARK FROM GRAND RAPIDS. ON THE AMPHITHEATER. AMPHITHEATER. NOISE. RESOLUTIONS. I COULD CARE LESS ABOUT THAT. I LIVE PRETTY CLOSE TO THE VICINITY OF THE AMPHITHEATER. AND UNLIKE THE MOST OF THE PEOPLE WHO SPOKE, I VERY RARELY HEAR ANY CONCERT NOISE. BUT YOU BETTER BE CAREFUL. BECAUSE IF THERE'S TOO MANY NOISE COMPLAINTS, WHAT'S GOING TO HAPPEN IS BIG TIME ACTS ARE GOING ELSEWHERE. AND THEN YOU WILL HAVE A. MULTI-MILLION DOLLAR BUILDING, MULTI-MILLION DOLLAR FACILITY. THAT'S GOING TO BE ROTTED OUT BECAUSE NO ONE WILL SHOW UP. SO

[01:05:09]

BECAUSE THAT'S NOT GOING TO BE ANY GOOD. SO DO WHAT YOU HAVE TO DO. BUT PLEASE, EVERYBODY.

BUT YOU CAN'T LOSE MONEY OVER FEELINGS BECAUSE THAT WILL NEVER WORK. THANK YOU. ANDREW THIEL, NORTHEAST SIDE. I'M JUST HERE IN SUPPORT OF ALL THE COMMUNITY THAT HAS EXPRESSED THEIR INTEREST, OR RATHER, DISINTEREST IN CONTINUING THE NOISE ORDINANCE TO 11 A.M. IF ANYTHING, I THINK TURN IT DOWN, BAFFLE IT. I DON'T KNOW THE TERMS. YOU GUYS GOT THE SCIENTISTS ON IT, I HOPE. I MEAN, EVERYBODY THESE GUYS HAVE ALL DONE THE RESEARCH. I MEAN LIKE THEY DUG DEEP, SPENT ALL THE TIME TO GO OUT OF THEIR WAY JUST TO DO ALL THIS RESEARCH FOR NOTHING, LIKE NO MONEY. SO VOTE NO, WHATEVER IT IS, JUST KEEP IT AS MINIMUM AS YOU CAN GET IT. IF IT'S 10:00 FOR US, 10:00 FOR THEM. OKAY. SEEING NO ONE ELSE APPROACHING THE MICROPHONE, I'LL MOVE US ON TO OUR NEXT ITEM, WHICH IS THE. OH. I'M SORRY. I, YEAH, I THINK IT'S REALLY FUNNY. LIKE, I'M LIKE SOMEONE JUST POINTED OUT THAT PATTERN ABOUT HOW LIKE THE PEOPLE THAT ARE SAYING NO ARE LIKE, YOU KNOW, IT'S JUST EVERYDAY PEOPLE AND THE PEOPLE THAT ARE SAYING YES ARE LIKE EXECUTIVE EXECUTIVE TYPES. AND THEY LIKE IT BECAUSE IT LIKE BRINGS BUSINESS FROM LIKE, YOU KNOW, PEOPLE OUTSIDE OF GR, THEY DON'T HAVE TO LIKE LIVE HERE TO LIKE AND LIKE, DEAL WITH THE NOISE AND ALL THAT SORT OF STUFF. AND IT JUST MAKES ME LIKE, WONDER, LIKE, WHO DON'T YOU THINK ABOUT WHO YOU REPRESENT? LIKE YOU REALIZE YOU'RE NOT THE MAYOR OF, YOU KNOW, EVERYONE FROM OUT OF TOWN. YOU'RE THE MAYOR OF GRAND RAPIDS. LIKE, DON'T GET ME WRONG. LIKE, I DON'T COMPLETELY HATE THE AMPHITHEATER. I'M TALKING WITH LIKE A SMALL BUSINESS OWNER WHO SAID THAT SHE LIKES IT BECAUSE IT, LIKE, BRINGS MORE BUSINESS AND STUFF. I WENT THERE ONE TIME. I ACTUALLY ENJOYED THE CONCERT, BUT IT WAS MORE BECAUSE OF THE PERSON THAT WAS PERFORMING AND NOT BECAUSE LIKE, OH, I LOVE THE VENUE SO MUCH. I WILL SAY THIS LIKE THE CONCESSION PRICES ARE HIGHWAY ROBBERY. LIKE IT COSTS LIKE $16 FOR A TWISTED TEA. LIKE, TELL ME HOW THAT MAKES SENSE. I CAN GO TO A BAR AND GET ONE FOR $4. SO LIKE, JUST THINK ABOUT WHO YOU REPRESENT. LIKE YOU REPRESENT THE PEOPLE OF GRAND RAPIDS, THE PEOPLE WHO ACTUALLY LIVE HERE AND PAY THEIR TAXES TO THAT GO TO SUPPORTING THE CITY. THINK MORE ABOUT THE PEOPLE WHO LIVE HERE AND NOT LIKE PEOPLE THAT DON'T CALL THIS PLACE HOME. JUST THINK ABOUT IT. I COMPLETELY SUPPORT THE NOISE ORDINANCE. I DON'T THINK THE AMPHITHEATER SHOULD BE EXEMPT FROM IT. AND THE ONE PERSON THAT MADE A COMMENT ABOUT HOW AMPHITHEATERS WERE BASICALLY LIKE THE MICROPHONE BEFORE MICROPHONES WERE EVEN INVENTED, AND HOW WHEN YOU COMBINE MICROPHONE AUDIO WITH THE AMPHITHEATER STRUCTURE AND IT'S JUST LIKE OVERKILL THAT IS BAFFLING. LIKE, LIKE CONCEPTUALLY, HOW DOES THAT EVEN MAKE SENSE? WHY EVEN HAVE THAT? IF MICROPHONES ARE A THING? JUST SAYING, YEAH, VOTE NO ON EXEMPTING THE AMPHITHEATER FROM THE NOISE ORDINANCE BECAUSE I THIS IS ALL LIKE PART OF A TREND OF LIKE THAT WE'VE BEEN SEEING LIKE CUL

[01:10:04]

JUST BECAUSE YOU OWN A BUSINESS DOESN'T MEAN YOU'RE RICH, DOESN'T MEAN THAT YOU DON'T WANT THE BEST FOR YOUR COMMUNITY. AND I THINK WE HAVE TO REALLY CAREFULLY BALANCE WHAT IS GOOD FOR THE CITY TO GROW FOR ITS RESIDENTS, FOR OUR SCHOOLS, WITH, YOU KNOW WHAT? PEOPLE FEEL INCONVENIENCED BY. AND SO I JUST WANTED TO SAY AS A RESIDENT THAT I LOVE THE AMPHITHEATER. IF THERE ARE MITIGATION THINGS THAT CAN HAPPEN TO DEAL WITH SOME OF THE NOISE, MAYBE IT'S TEN, NOT 11. BUT I DO REALLY WANT TO SAY THAT I APPRECIATE AND SUPPORT THE WAY THAT THIS CITY BALANCES COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT WITH BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT. I'VE SEEN IT DONE A LOT WORSE IN A LOT OF OTHER PLACES. I'VE LIVED A LOT OF DIFFERENT PLACES, AND A BIG PART OF WHY WE RELOCATED HERE WAS BECAUSE OF HOW YOU ALL ARE MANAGING THE CITY. THANKS, THANKS. GOOD EVENING. MY NAME IS CINDY HICKS AND I LIVE IN THE FIRST WARD WITH THIRD WARD ISSUES. I'M RIGHT IN THE MIDDLE. MY COMMENTS WILL BE REALLY BRIEF, JUST THAT I'M REALLY DISAPPOINTED AS USUAL, SINCE WE HAVE PEOPLE THAT PROTEST MURDERS BY POLICE, THEY GET CRIMINAL CHARGES AND TIME FOR THAT. BUT BUSINESSES, AS I AM A BUSINESS OWNER TO SEEM TO GET THE FREE PASS. AND YEAH, I JUST REALLY WISH THE LEADERSHIP WOULD LISTEN TO ITS CONSTITUENTS. AND I'VE MADE SEVERAL PHONE CALLS BOTH TO MARK WASHINGTON AND TO DAVID LEGRAND IN THE LAST COUPLE OF WEEKS ABOUT THE GUN VIOLENCE, AND I'VE NOT RECEIVED ANY PHONE CALL BACK. I DID RECEIVE A PHONE CALL FROM SOMEONE IN THE POLICE DEPARTMENT, THOUGH. I'M NOT REALLY HAPPY ABOUT THAT. THANK YOU. OKAY. SEEING NO ONE ELSE COME UP TO THE MICROPHONE,

[APPROVAL OF MINUTES]

CAN I SO MOVED? ALL IN FAVOR OF APPROVING THE MINUTES? SAY AYE. AYE AYE. ALL OPPOSED? MOTION

[PETITIONS AND COMMUNICATIONS]

STEVEN FILED COMMUNICATION RECEIVED FROM DAMON VILLAREAL REGARDING AN APPEAL FOR A FEE FOR FOIA, PD DASH 2026-36857. FILED COMMUNICATION RECEIVED FROM JAMES HERNDON WITH AN APPEAL TO THE OF THE DENIAL OF FOIA REQUEST NUMBER PR 2026-10867. FILED

[01:15:03]

[REPORTS OF CITY OFFICERS]

[CONSENT AGENDA APPROVAL]

[1. Ordinance rezoning the northerly half of 834 Livingston Avenue NE from the SD-OS (Special District–Open Space) Zone District to the TN-LDR (Traditional Neighborhood–Low Density Residential) Zone District.]

AND I BELIEVE THAT THIS IS BEEN APPROVED. YES, IT'S BEEN APPROVED BY THE BOARD OF ZONING APPEALS FOR THE VARIANCES. ON JANUARY 16TH, 26, AND THE SITE PLAN AND WHATNOT HAVE ALL BEEN APPROVED AS WELL. THE DEVELOPER'S OBTAINING THIS OR REQUESTING THIS BECAUSE ON SEPTEMBER 22ND, 2026, WE HAD, AS A CITY COMMISSION APPROVED CONVEYANCE OF 4567FT■!S OF CITY OWNED REAL PROPERTY TO THAT AREA, AND THE PROPERTY WILL BE THEN COMBINED WITH THE ADJACENT 801 811 AVENUE NORTHEAST TO FACILITATE A MULTIFAMILY DEVELOPMENT. THE PROPERTY THAT HAS BEEN PURCHASED IS SPLIT BETWEEN THESE TWO DISTRICTS. AS I'VE SAID, WITH THE SOUTHERN HALF BEING TRADITIONAL LOWER DENSITY RESIDENTIAL IN THE NORTHERN HALF, THIS SPECIAL LAND USE OPEN SPACE. IT IS IT OR SPECIAL DISTRICT. IT IS NOW REQUESTED THAT WE ARE PUTTING THESE TOGETHER, AND I BELIEVE I CAN LEAVE IT AT THAT FOR THE DESCRIPTION. ANY DISCUSSION? COLLEAGUES, THAT WAS THOROUGH. IT WAS THOROUGH. SEEING NO DISCUSSION. ALL IN FAVOR? ALL IN FAVOR? YEAH. THANK YOU. I RIGHT. SORRY, THIS IS A ROLL CALL VOTE, MR. CLARK.

COMMISSIONER KILGORE. YES. COMMISSIONER. SACHS. YES. COMMISSIONER. PERDUE. YES, COMMISSIONER. NIGHT. YES. COMMISSIONER. YES. MAYOR. LAGRANGE. YES. NEXT ONE IS AN

[2. Ordinance rezoning a portion of 1911 Fuller Avenue NE from MCN-LDR (Mid-20th Century Neighborhood–Low Density Residential) to the MCN-MDR (Mid-20th Century Neighborhood–Mixed Density Residential) Zone District.]

UPON SALE OF THE PROPERTY, IT WILL BE COMBINED WITH 1951 FULLER AVENUE NORTHEAST, THE

[01:20:02]

ANY DELIBERATION? COLLEAGUES SEEING NONE. ANOTHER ROLL CALL. VOTE. COMMISSIONER. YES.

COMMISSIONER. PERDUE. YES. COMMISSIONER. KNIGHT. YES. COMMISSIONER. YES. COMMISSIONER.

[3. Ordinance rezoning 1951 Fuller Avenue NE from the MCN-C (Mid-20th Century Neighborhood–Commercial) and MCN-LDR (Mid-20th Century Neighborhood–Low Density Residential) Zone Districts to the MCN-MDR (Mid-20th Century Neighborhood–Mixed Density Residential) Zone District.]

MOTION. THANK YOU. AND COMMISSIONER PERDUE. YES. THANK YOU. THIS REZONING WILL FACILITATE A LOT SPLIT AND COMBINATION FOR FUTURE CONSTRUCTION OF A MULTIPLE FAMILY RESIDENTIAL DEVELOPMENT. THE PROPERTY IS LOCATED ON THE WEST SIDE OF FULLER AVENUE, SOUTH OF NAP. IT WAS INITIALLY INTENDED FOR COMMERCIAL DEVELOPMENT IN THE 1960S, BUT THAT NEVER CAME TO FRUITION. THE PROPERTY IS ABOUT 2.7 ACRES AND COULD POTENTIALLY SUPPORT A DENSITY OF 78 UNITS, AND THIS WENT BEFORE THE PLANNING COMMISSION ON SEPTEMBER 10TH.

IT PASSED UNANIMOUSLY 7 TO 0, AND NO PUBLIC TESTIMONY WAS OFFERED DURING THE PUBLIC HEARING. THANK YOU. ANY DISCUSSION? COLLEAGUES? THEN AGAIN, A ROLL CALL VOTE.

COMMISSIONER PERDUE. YES, COMMISSIONER. KNIGHT. YES. COMMISSIONER. BOUCEK. YES.

COMMISSIONER. KILGORE. YES. COMMISSIONER. YES. MAYOR LEGRAND. YES. BRINGS US TO OUR

[4. Salary Ordinance amending the Appendix A Wage Scale for Emergency Communications Operators, Grievance Settlement #26-42]

THANK YOU. MAYOR. A VOLUNTARY MEDIATION OCCURRED BETWEEN THE CITY OF GRAND RAPIDS AND THE POLICE OFFICERS LABOR COUNCIL ON BEHALF OF THE CITY OF GRAND RAPIDS. EMERGENCY COMMUNICATIONS OPERATORS REGARDING APPENDIX A AND THE WAGE SCALE SPECIFICALLY FOR THE F STEP ONLY OF THE E, C, O THREE POSITION. AS A RESULT OF THE MEDIATION, THE PARTIES CAME TO A TENTATIVE RESOLUTION, WHICH WILL BE FORMALIZED AS A LETTER OF AGREEMENT SUBJECT TO THE SALARY ORDINANCE AMENDMENTS PASSAGE. UNDER THE AGREEMENT, THE CITY WILL ADOPT A REVISED APPENDIX, A WAGE SCALE AND CHANGE. WAGES WILL BE MADE RETROACTIVE TO THE FIRST FULL PAY PERIOD. THE COMMUNITY CAN SEE THE UPDATED WAGE SCALE, AND THE TABLE IN THE PACKET PROVIDED. THANK YOU. ANY DISCUSSION? COLLEAGUES SEEING NONE. ANOTHER ROLL CALL VOTE, COMMISSIONER. KNIGHT. YES. MR. YES. COMMISSIONER. KILGORE. YES. COMMISSIONER. STACEY. YES.

COMMISSIONER. PERDUE. YES. MAYOR. LA GRANDE, YES. CAN I HAVE A MOTION FOR IMMEDIATE EFFECT? SO MOVED SUPPORT AND ALL IN FAVOR OF IMMEDIATE EFFECT, SAY AYE. AYE. ALL

[5. Motion to give Salary Ordinance amending the Appendix A Wage Scale for Emergency Communications Operators, Grievance Settlement #26-42 immediate effect. ]

[6. Ordinance amending Section 1 of the Budget Ordinance 2026-11 for Fiscal Year 2027 (Amendment No. 04)]

SUPPORT. AND COMMISSIONER KILGORE AGAIN. THANK YOU. MAYOR. THIS ORDINANCE ALLOWS FOR THE CITY TO ACCEPT AN APPROPRIATE FOR SEPARATE FISCAL INITIATIVES. I'LL GO THROUGH AND SHORT MEASURE HERE. ALL FOR. THE FIRST IS OUR COMMUNITY'S CHILDREN DEPARTMENT CHALLENGED SCHOLARS T TO C STUDIO GRANT. OUR COMMUNITY'S CHILDREN IS REQUESTING TO RECOGNIZE AND APPROPRIATE A GRANT AWARD IN THE AMOUNT OF $300,000 RECEIVED FROM THE GRAND RAPIDS COMMUNITY FOUNDATION FOR YEARS THREE AND FOUR OF THE INTEGRATION OF THE T2C STUDIO SERVICES WITH THE CHALLENGE SCHOLARS PROGRAM, THE SECOND PARKS AND RECREATION DEPARTMENT, SULLIVAN FIELD IMPROVEMENTS. THE PARKS AND RECREATION DEPARTMENT IS REQUESTING TO RECOGNIZE AND APPROPRIATE AN ADDITIONAL RESTRICTED CONTRIBUTION IN THE AMOUNT OF $160,000 RECEIVED FROM THE FANS OF VALLEY FIELD FOR IMPROVEMENTS AT SULLIVAN FIELD. THIS PROJECT WILL IMPROVE PUBLIC OPPORTUNITIES FOR YEAR ROUND ACTIVATION EVENTS AND USE OF THE PARK. THE THIRD OUR COMMUNITY'S CHILDREN DEPARTMENT COLLEGE IS POSSIBLE CAMPAIGN. OUR COMMUNITY'S CHILDREN. OC IS REQUESTING TO RECOGNIZE AND APPROPRIATE A PRIVATE DONATION FROM TRUSTEE RICHENTHAL AND THE AMOUNT OF $70,000 TO SUPPORT TWO COLLEGE THROUGH COLLEGE T CTC INITIATIVE COLLEGE IS POSSIBLE AS A PUBLIC RELATIONS, MARKETING AND COMMUNITY

[01:25:02]

COMMISSIONER PALGIC. YES. COMMISSIONER. KILGORE. YES. COMMISSIONER. SACHS. YES.

COMMISSIONER. PURDUE. YES. COMMISSIONER. NIGHT. YES. MAYOR. GRANT. YES. CAN I HAVE A MOTION

[7. Motion to give Ordinance amending Section 1 of the Budget Ordinance 2026-11 for Fiscal Year 2027 (Amendment No. 04) immediate effect. ]

[8. Ordinance amending Section 9.66 of Chapter 151 “Nuisances” of the City Code to clarify the application of an exemption from noise code limitations for certain uses, activities and sounds]

EARLIER THIS SUMMER, A COURT RULING RESULTED IN AN INTERPRETATION OF THE CODE SECTION THAT WAS UNINTENDED AND CANNOT MEANINGFULLY, MEANINGFULLY BE APPLIED NOR ENFORCED. THE AMPHITHEATER OR THE OTHER EXCEPTIONS THAT ARE INCLUDED IN THAT SECTION OF THE CODE. THE PROPOSED ORDINANCE WILL AMEND THE CODE TO RESTORE THE ORIGINAL INTENT OF THOSE EXCEPTIONS, WHICH WAS TO ALLOW NOISES GENERATED BY THE LISTED EVENTS AND ACTIVITIES TO BE CARRIED OUT BETWEEN THE SPECIFIED HOURS WITH WITHOUT SPECIFIC NOISE, DECIBEL OR OTHER ACOUSTIC LIMITATIONS. AS A RESULT, THE AMPHITHEATER WILL CONTINUE TO BE REGULATED UNDER THE SPECIAL LAND USE PERMIT BETWEEN THOSE HOURS OF 7 A.M. AND 11 P.M. WITH THE ABILITY FOR THE CITY MANAGER TO GRANT SOME EXTENSIONS TO TIME AND EXTENUATING CIRCUMSTANCES.

THANK YOU. THANK YOU. COMMISSIONER. GIVEN THE I DON'T KNOW IF I'M SUPPOSED TO TURN IT BACK OVER TO YOU OR TO MISS BEHRENS OR. BUT MISS BEHRENS, I, I CERTAINLY WELCOME YOU TO COME UP TO THE MICROPHONE. YOU MAY BE. WANT TO ANSWER SOME QUESTIONS HERE, GIVEN THE THE VOLUME OF COMMENT ON THIS. SURE. THANK YOU. WILL WANT TO HAVE SOME DISCUSSION. SO ANYONE WANT TO ASK MISS BEHRENS ANYTHING OR GENERALLY DISCUSS THE ORDINANCE. HAPPY TO HEAR COMMISSIONER BOUCEK. YEAH, NOT EXACTLY SURE WHERE TO BEGIN BECAUSE THERE'S A LOT. BUT I DON'T WANT TO OVERDO HERE. I WOULD LIKE TO IF YOU COULD CLARIFY WHY WE'RE DOING THIS, EVEN THOUGH I KNOW WE HEARD A LITTLE BIT HERE IN OUR PREAMBLE WHY THIS HAS COME BEFORE US. NOW, WHY NOT SOONER? AND WHAT WHAT WOULD HAPPEN? WHAT WOULD BE THE OPTIONS AFTER THIS? THIS IS A STEP THAT COULD BE TAKEN. SO I GUESS I'LL LEAVE IT START THERE. AND THEN I MIGHT HAVE A COUPLE MORE QUESTIONS. SURE. THIS IS COMING FORWARD NOW AS AS WAS BRIEFLY ALLUDED TO IN THE SUMMARY, IN ORDER TO EXECUTE THE INTENT THAT WAS ORIGINALLY SET FORTH IN 2023. SO IN 2023, THE CITY COMMISSION APPROVED ADDING TO A LIST OF EXISTING EXEMPTIONS IN THE NOISE CODE NOISES FROM THE AMPHITHEATER THAT WOULD BE GENERATED DURING THE HOURS OF 7 A.M. TO 11 P.M. WITH A AN ABILITY FOR THE CITY MANAGER TO GRANT BRIEF EXCEPTION EXTENSIONS TO THAT TIME AS WELL.

THAT WAS ADOPTED IN 2023. THAT WAS THE FRAMEWORK THAT WE USED DURING THIS SEASON. SO EXEMPTED FROM THE NOISE CODE. INSTEAD, WE APPLY CONDITIONS THAT WERE PART AMPHITHEATER.

THOSE CONDITIONS WERE INCLUDED AS PART OF THE SPECIAL LAND USE PROCESS WITH THE PLANNING COMMISSION, AND INCLUDE SPECIFIC LIMITATIONS ON DECIBEL MEASUREMENTS AT CERTAIN PLACES WITHIN THE AMPHITHEATER PROPERTY ITSELF, WITH MONITORING EQUIPMENT THAT RUNS THROUGHOUT ANY PERFORMANCE. THEN THERE WAS THERE HAS BEEN A LAWSUIT FILED ABOUT THE CITY'S APPROACH TO NOISE AND THE AMPHITHEATER. THERE ARE MULTIPLE PARTIES, INCLUDING THE CITY AND THE CAA, TO THAT LAWSUIT. THE JUDGE RULED ONE OF THE QUESTIONS RAISED WAS SPECIFICALLY ABOUT HOW THE EXEMPTION THAT WAS ADOPTED IN 2023 SHOULD BE APPLIED, AND

[01:30:03]

SO UP UNTIL NOW THEY'VE BEEN SUBJECT TO THE LAND USE PERMIT REGARDLESS. AND THAT IS THE FUNDAMENTAL BASIS FOR HOW THEY ARE REGISTERED. WHAT'S THE WORD ENFORCED. I GUESS MONITORED MONITORING IS AN ISSUE WE CAN ADDRESS IN A MINUTE. BUT ALSO WITH THE WHEN YOU SAID THE SECTION THAT HAS NOT BEEN APPLIED, I BELIEVE YOU'RE REFERRING TO SECTION 9.65 OF THE NOISE ORDINANCE CODE, WHICH I DON'T BELIEVE IS IN OUR PACKET HERE TODAY. BUT THAT'S THE ORDINANCE, THE CODE RIGHT ABOVE IT THAT DESCRIBES THE SPEECH NO LOUDER THAN LEVEL.

IT'S IT'S THE CODE THAT I WISH WE COULD ENFORCE BETTER. BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, I AGREE WITH THE MOTORCYCLES AND OTHER NOISES THAT WE DEAL WITH THAT, YOU KNOW, WE, THE, THE, THE NEIGHBOR THAT HAS ALL THE F BOMBS AND YOU NEVER CAN CATCH THEIR MUSIC BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, I, THERE'S BEEN SOME, I HAVEN'T BEEN ABLE TO USE MY BACKYARD BECAUSE THE NEIGHBORS. SO IT, IT HAPPENS AND WE CAN'T CATCH PEOPLE BECAUSE YOU HAVE TO THE POLICE NEED TO SEE THEM IN THE ACT BEFORE WE CAN ENFORCE THAT PART OF THE CODE. BUT THAT'S NOT THE PART WE'RE TALKING ABOUT. WE'RE TALKING ABOUT 9.66, WHERE IT HAD ALREADY BEEN LISTED AS THE EXEMPTION. RIGHT.

THAT WAS DECIDED BY THE PREVIOUS FOR ME, PREVIOUS COMMISSION IN 2023. AND THE MY INTERPRETING AND MAYBE THIS IS WHERE OUR LAWYER CITY ATTORNEY GETS INVOLVED. BUT THE THE COURT INTERPRETED IT A CERTAIN WAY. THAT SEEMED TO MAKE IT SEEM LIKE 9.65 HAD BEEN WHAT WE SHOULD HAVE BEEN DOING, ACCORDING TO THAT READING. AND THAT WAS NOT HOW WE HAD BEEN APPLYING IT BECAUSE WE WERE APPLYING. 9.66. AM I INTERPRETING THAT CORRECTLY? THAT'S A GOOD SUMMARY. I WOULD SAY THAT IT'S NOT THAT SIMPLE. IT'S NOT THAT SIMPLE. ONE. ONE THING I WOULD USE AS AN ANALOGY IS HIGH SCHOOL SPORT SPORTING EVENTS. AND THAT'S ONE OF THE THINGS THAT ARE EXEMPTED FROM THE REST OF THE NOISE ORDINANCE. BECAUSE IF AT HOUSEMAN FIELD, YOU HAD A HIGH SCHOOL FOOTBALL GAME GOING ON, YOU WOULDN'T APPLY THE ORDINARY SOUND REGULATIONS THAT THAT RESIDENTIAL NEIGHBORHOOD GENERALLY EXPECTS. AMBULANCES IS ANOTHER GENERAL EXCEPTION. AND SO DEPENDING ON WHAT ZONE THROUGH OUR ZONING CODE YOU'RE IN KIND OF DRIVES WHAT THE ORDINARY SOUND EXPECTATIONS ARE DOWNTOWN AND WHERE THIS AMPHITHEATER IS AND HOW IT'S ZONED IS A REAL THIS IS NOT A LEGAL TERM OF ART, BUT A REAL FUNKY ZONE. AND THAT'S WHY WE'VE ALWAYS THOUGHT. AND THE PLANNING COMMISSION THOUGHT.

AND THERE WAS POSITIVE PUBLIC FEEDBACK BACK IN 2023 THAT THIS IS A SPECIAL LAND USE IN OUR CITY THAT'S NEW AND THE BEST COURSE TO GO DOWN IS SPECIAL LAND USE ORDINANCE AND OR REGULATION THROUGH OUR ZONING CODE, AS OPPOSED TO WHAT FELT LIKE FITTING A SQUARE PIECE IN A ROUND HOLE, WHICH IS OUR GENERAL NOISE ORDINANCE, THE GENERAL ONE BEING 9.65. WELL, NOT NO, NO, NOT JUST THAT, BECAUSE THERE'S ALSO PROVISIONS IN OUR NOISE ORDINANCE THAT TALK ABOUT COMMERCIAL AND ENTERTAINMENT SOUND. RIGHT. AND SO COMMERCIAL AND ENTERTAINMENT SOUND IS OFTENTIMES ALLOWED TO GO TILL 1:00 IN THE MORNING. AND THAT WAS SOMETHING THAT WE KNEW WAS NOT GOING TO BE THE RIGHT FIT EITHER FOR THIS PARTICULAR PLACE. SO THAT SO THE GENERAL CODE IS 9.6, WHAT I'M CALLING SECTION 9.6 AND 9.65, 9.66 AND 9.65. BUT I HEAR WHAT YOU'RE SAYING ABOUT THE SPECIAL LAND USE BEING THE MAIN MECHANISM FOR ENFORCEMENT THAT WE STILL HAVE. AND SO WHEN I AS WE'VE BEEN TALKING ABOUT THIS AND GOING THROUGH THIS, AND I I'LL JUST READ IT HERE INTO THE RECORD, THE CHANGE THAT IS ACTUALLY IN FRONT OF US AND BEING PROPOSED IS IT FEELS LIKE A WORDING CHANGE. AND AS THE ORIGINAL WORDING WITH THE ORIGINAL INTENT, AS YOU'VE DESCRIBED IN 2023, SAYS, THE FOLLOWING USES AND ACTIVITIES

[01:35:02]

EXCEPT AS PROVIDED IN THE FOLLOWING SEVEN SOUNDS AND VIBRATIONS PRODUCED AT GRAND RAPIDS KENT COUNTY CONVENTION ARENA AUTHORITY AFTER 11 P.M. IN THE CASE OF PERFORMANCE DELAYS, OCCASIONAL OCCASIONED BY UNFORESEEABLE EXTENDED EXIGENT CIRCUMSTANCES, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO THE INCLEMENT, SORRY, INCLEMENT WEATHER THAT PREVENTS THE SAFE OPERATIONS OF THE AMPHITHEATER. WITH PRIOR WRITTEN APPROVAL OF THE CITY MANAGER, ETC. I WILL STOP THERE, BUT THE CITY MANAGER HAS ONLY APPROVED AN EXTENSION ONE TIME. AM I? AM I RIGHT IN THAT THAT THIS ONLY HAPPENED ONCE SO THAT THE. GENERALLY SPEAKING, WE'RE HOLDING TO THE 10 P.M. OR 11 P.M. DEPENDING ON WHAT'S HAPPENING THERE. RIGHT. I'M ONLY AWARE OF THE AMPHITHEATER GOING PAST 111. RIGHT. AND SO THE CHANGE THAT'S IN FRONT OF US TODAY IS FROM THIS NOT PROHIBITED NOISES WORDING, WHICH YOU CALL IT AN EXEMPTION OR WHATEVER OTHER WORDS YOU WANTED TO CALL IT SOUNDS LIKE IT NOW WILL READ THE FOLLOWING USES. ACTIVITIES AND OR SOUNDS ARE EXEMPT FROM ANY PROHIBITION, LIMITATION, OR RESTRICTION CONTAINED IN ANY AND ALL SECTIONS OF THIS ARTICLE. FIVE NOISE CONTROL AND THEN THE SAME ITEMS THAT WE SAID BEFORE. SO I WANTED THAT READ OUT LOUD FOR THE RECORD, BECAUSE I BELIEVE THERE'S BEEN A LOT OF CONFUSION AND MAYBE EVEN SOME MISINFORMATION OUT THERE. I'M FINDING THIS TO BE A, A CHALLENGE IN GENERAL, BECAUSE THERE'S SO MANY DIFFERENT NUANCES AND ASPECTS. AND I THINK THAT THE PUBLIC DOESN'T ALWAYS HEAR OR KNOW THAT. I THINK THAT WE STILL HAVE WE STILL NEED TO HAVE SOME ROBUST CONVERSATION. AND I DON'T I DO HAVE I DON'T KNOW THAT I HAVE ANOTHER QUESTION RIGHT NOW, EXCEPT LIKE IF, IF OTHER THINGS NEEDED TO BE CONSIDERED FOR THE SAKE OF THE COMMUNITY, WHAT AVENUES WOULD BE IN FRONT OF US? TODAY, WE HAVE THIS, THIS WORDING CHANGE IN FRONT OF US. BUT REGARDLESS OF WHAT HAPPENS HERE TODAY, WHAT AVENUES WOULD BE IN FRONT OF US IF WE WERE TO CONTINUE TO HAVE CONVERSATIONS? I THINK WE'RE HEARING CONCERNS, AND I WOULD LIKE, IF I'M SORRY, WHO WHO'S YOUR QUESTION FOR COMMISSIONER? I'M NOT EXACTLY SURE, BECAUSE MY QUESTION IS BASICALLY HOW IF WE DO THIS TODAY, THIS IS NOT THE THIS ISN'T LIKE THE END OF THE ROAD. THIS ISN'T LIKE THE ONLY THING WE'LL EVER TALK ABOUT. IF THERE WERE TO BE ANOTHER CONVERSATION OR ANOTHER CHANGE. NOT THAT I'M NOT NOT SAYING THAT THERE WOULD BE, BECAUSE THERE ARE SOME LEGAL RAMIFICATIONS THAT WOULD NEED TO BE DISCUSSED. BUT IF I CAN PERHAPS FOCUS THIS A LITTLE BIT. SO MISS BEHRENS, THE CONVENTION ARENA AUTHORITY OPERATES THIS VENUE, CORRECT? CORRECT. SO IT IS A PUBLICLY OWNED ENTITY, AN ASSET, BUT IT. BUT CAN YOU EXPLAIN A LITTLE BIT THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN THE CONVENTION ARENA AUTHORITY AND MAYBE THAT'LL HELP MIGHT HELP. SO THE CONVENTION ARENA AUTHORITY IS A, AN ENTITY THAT'S CREATED BY STATE LAW. AND THERE ARE IT IS GOVERNED BY A BOARD THAT IS APPOINTED BY EITHER THE GOVERNOR HAS APPOINTMENTS OF CERTAIN SEATS, THE CITY, THE COUNTY HAS APPOINTMENTS OF CERTAIN SEATS, AND THEN THE BODY ITSELF HAS APPOINTMENT AUTHORITY OVER SEVERAL OF THE SEATS AS WELL. SO. AND IT HAS HOLDS PUBLIC MEETINGS. THEIR PUBLIC MEETINGS HAPPEN MONTHLY. THAT'S WHERE THEY DO THINGS MUCH LIKE YOU ALL DO IN TERMS OF SETTING THE POLICY, ADOPTING THE BUDGET, DOING THOSE SORTS OF ACTIVITIES.

THEY ALSO HAVE A NUMBER OF COMMITTEES, INCLUDING A COMMUNITY ADVISORY COMMITTEE THAT HELPS THEM SET SEVERAL OF THOSE POLICIES AND RESULTS IN PROGRAMING LIKE YOU HEARD ABOUT EARLIER IN THE MONTH, IN TERMS OF OPPORTUNITIES FOR COMMUNITIES AND NONPROFIT ORGANIZATIONS AND OTHER THINGS TO PARTICIPATE IN ACTIVITIES AND BE ABLE TO SUPPORT THOSE ORGANIZATIONS AS PART OF THE OPERATIONS OF THEIR FACILITIES, INCLUDING THE AMPHITHEATER, THE VAN ANDEL ARENA AND THE CONVENTION CENTER. SO AS FAR AS THIS AMPHITHEATER IS CONCERNED, PHYSICAL CHANGES TO IT AT THIS POINT ARE QUESTIONS FOR THE CAA. IS THAT A FAIR STATEMENT? YES, THAT WOULD BE CORRECT. AND THEN I MEAN, CONCERT SELECTION, ALL OF THOSE SORTS OF THINGS, ALL OF THE LOGISTICS, THE REVENUE, ALL OF THOSE THINGS ARE C, A, A ENDEAVORS AT THIS POINT, CORRECT? YES. OKAY. SO WHAT'S BEFORE THIS BODY, IF I CAN SUMMARIZE THIS AND OUR CITY

[01:40:04]

COMMISSIONER BELICHICK WASN'T HERE, COMMISSIONER KILGORE WASN'T HERE, I WASN'T HERE. I BELIEVE MY OTHER COLLEAGUES WERE HERE. SO I WOULD I WOULD CERTAINLY IF THEY IF THEY WANT TO SPEAK TO THE QUESTION OF THE ORIGINAL INTENT OF THIS AGREEMENT, I'D CERTAINLY WELCOME THAT DISCUSSION. BUT AT THIS POINT, THE QUESTION IS WHETHER THIS ORDINANCE IS ESSENTIALLY CORRECTED IN RESPONSE TO A COURT RULING IN ORDER TO DO WHAT IT ORIGINALLY WAS INTENDED TO DO. IS THAT A FAIR STATEMENT, MR. MAYOR? YOUR LAWYER TOO? YEAH. YES IT IS.

THANK YOU. OKAY. SO DOES THAT HELP? YEAH, THAT DOES HELP. I JUST WANTED TO MAKE IT CLEAR FOR FOLKS. AND I DO THINK, LIKE, YOU KNOW, I'VE HEARD A LOT ABOUT PEOPLE FROM FROM THE INTERNAL THAT WE ARE WORKING WITH THE C, A, A AND THAT THE C A IS WORKING ON THINGS. AND I, I GUESS I WOULD ENCOURAGE THAT, YOU KNOW, FOR INSTANCE, THE SOUND MONITORING I WANTED TO GET BACK TO THAT, LIKE, HAVE WE SEEN THE SOUND MONITORING DATA? WHEN WILL WE BE PROVIDED THAT DATA? HOW DO WE KNOW? I MEAN, THOSE HAVE ALL BEEN INTERNAL DISCUSSIONS. AND IT'S NOT SOMETHING THAT I'VE BEEN ABLE TO HAVE PRIVY TO. I, I WILL SIMPLY SAY, YES, I THINK FOR NEXT SEASON, WE CAN CERTAINLY PUT OUT MORE FAQS AND PUBLIC INFORMATION ABOUT HOW FOLKS CAN EXPECT COMPLAINTS TO BE PROCESSED. THIS SEASON WAS A LITTLE DIFFERENT BECAUSE OF THE PENDING LITIGATION, AND I WILL ALLOW. OKAY, SO WE DO HAVE THAT ATTORNEY TO ADD ANYTHING MORE TO THAT. OKAY. ALL RIGHT. SO I'LL JUST WRAP UP THEN BY SAYING THAT THIS IS I FEEL LIKE THIS IS A TOUGH THIS IS A THIS IS PROBABLY DISPROPORTIONATELY AFFECTED THE FIRST WARD. I KNOW THAT IT DOES AFFECT OTHER PEOPLE. I DO APPRECIATE THAT WE HAVE A NEW VENUE IN THE ECONOMIC BENEFITS, AND THERE ARE OTHER BENEFITS IN THE COMMUNITY. REMEMBERING THAT BUSINESSES ARE PEOPLE, SMALL PEOPLE, SMALL BUSINESSES ARE RUN BY PEOPLE, BUT. AND THE COMMUNITY VITALITY IS GREAT, BUT I REPRESENT AND I'M FROM AND AM A WORKING CLASS NEIGHBOR, AND I LIVE IN THE FLOODPLAIN WHERE I CAN HEAR IT AS WELL. AND MY HUSBAND, WHEN HE WORKS AT AMAZON AND HAS PRIME DAYS AND ALREADY OVER TIME, HAS ANNOUNCED BEFORE THANKSGIVING FOR THE NEXT TWO MONTHS, HE'S WORKING 10 OR 11 HOUR DAYS, FIVE DAYS A WEEK, AND LEAVES THE HOUSE, GETS UP AT 4:30 A.M. AND SO, YOU KNOW, THERE ARE PEOPLE WHO ARE HEARING AND AFFECTED BY IT, AND THAT I THINK THAT WE HAVE TO LISTEN TO PEOPLE. AND I, I FEEL LIKE THE CITY COMMISSION HAS, IN 2023, MADE THE DECISIONS TO HELP THE AMPHITHEATER GET UP AND RUNNING.

AND THOSE A LOT OF THE ENFORCEMENT, MAYBE WE CAN MAYBE WE CAN'T DO. WE'RE FIGURING OUT HOW TO DO THAT WITH THESE THINGS. BUT THE ACTUAL OPERATION, THE ACTUAL MITIGATION WE'VE HEARD WORDS TODAY LIKE EXEMPTION, RESTRICT CONTROL, CONTAIN MITIGATION IMPACTS, DIFFERENT IDEAS THAT PEOPLE HAVE CLEARLY SPENT A LOT OF TIME THINKING ABOUT. IT WOULD BE GREAT TO HAVE OUR PARTNERS IN THIS ENDEAVOR. THE CAA CONTINUE TO BE OPEN AND PUBLICLY SHARING WHAT THEY CAN, BECAUSE THE CHANGES ON THE PROPERTY SEEM TO BE THINGS THAT NEED TO BE DONE THERE. I DON'T KNOW, YOU KNOW, IF THEY'VE DIRECTED THE SOUND DIFFERENTLY OR WHAT. IT'S GOOD THAT THERE THERE ARE DIFFERENCES AND CHANGES AND IT IS GETTING BETTER, IT SEEMS, BUT I DON'T THINK IT'S PERFECT. AND MAYBE IT IS A PART OF THE SOUNDSCAPE OF OUR NEW ENVIRONMENT. BUT AND THERE ARE REAL RISKS THAT I THINK THE PUBLIC MAY NOT FULLY BE AWARE OF, THAT WE, YES, REPRESENT PEOPLE, BUT YES, WE ALSO REPRESENT THE THE CITY AND THAT THERE ARE DOLLARS, TAX DOLLARS THAT ARE PEOPLE'S PUBLIC MONEY THAT COULD THAT COULD HAVE REAL NEGATIVE EFFECTS. IF THE AMPHITHEATER WERE SUDDENLY TOMORROW, I DON'T KNOW, DISAPPEAR THAT I DON'T KNOW, MAYBE THE ALIENS, I'LL DO A MARY LOU GRANT AND PULL THE ALIENS DOWN AND THEY GET BEAMED UP. AN EXAMPLE. BUT THERE THE THE. THE WE'RE HOLDING THE

[01:45:02]

[2. STUBBS v. TAYLOR and CITY OF GRAND RAPIDS  City Commission resolution approving settlement ]

I WASN'T GOING TO SAY ANYTHING. BUT THEN YOU SAID I FELT LIKE, YOU KNOW, MAYBE I SHOULD BECAUSE I WAS HERE IN 2023. SO THANK YOU FOR THE OPPORTUNITY, MAYOR. I, I HAD PUT MY HAND BACK DOWN BECAUSE I FELT THAT YOU HAD RESTATED, SORT OF REFRAMED WHAT IS IN FRONT OF US.

RIGHT? THERE'S ALWAYS A NUMBER OF THINGS WITH WHATEVER THE THING IS THAT WE MIGHT WANT TO TALK ABOUT AND CONSIDER. AND IN THIS FORM OF GOVERNMENT, WE HAVE WHATEVER, YOU KNOW, THAT INDIVIDUAL ITEM IS IN FRONT OF US THAT HAS BEEN WELL RESEARCHED, WELL REVIEWED. AND, YOU KNOW, TO GO THIS WAS EVEN SOMETHING BEFORE I WAS ON COMMISSION BEING DISCUSSED, BEING REVIEWED. AND THEN YOU THINK ABOUT ALL THE TIME THAT KIND OF GOES THROUGH THAT. SO YES, I WOULD AGREE WITH YOU THAT THAT WAS THE ORIGINAL INTENT OF THAT. AS WE HEARD FROM CITY ATTORNEY STROM, WHAT WERE THE CONSIDERATIONS OF OTHER VENUES AND OTHER REALITIES AND WHAT WOULD OCCUR IN THE CITY OF OUR SIZE? AND, YOU KNOW, I WENT TO NUMEROUS MEETINGS ABOUT THAT, HAD NUMEROUS CONVERSATIONS UP HERE. OF COURSE, YOU KNOW, WE HAVE OUR ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT PROJECT TEAM. WE HAVE, YOU KNOW, OTHER ENTITIES THAT WERE INVOLVED AS IT RELATED TO, YOU KNOW, THE CAPITAL STACK OF THAT I WOULD AGREE TO WITH YOU. I THINK THERE ARE THE THERE ARE THE ABSOLUTE PIECES, AND I WORK WITH SMALL BUSINESSES THAT YOU WANT TO SEE. I MYSELF HAVE GONE, YOU KNOW, TO, TO EVENTS, WENT TO THE COMMUNITY EVENTS AND THINGS LIKE THAT AS WELL. THOSE ARE NOT THE THINGS THAT I CONSIDER. I MIGHT ENJOY THAT,

[01:50:01]

YOU DON'T AGREE WITH WHAT MY DECISION IS. THOSE ARE TWO VERY DIFFERENT THINGS. AND ALL DAY LONG I'VE JUST BEEN THINKING ABOUT IT'S A BINARY OF EITHER YOU SUPPORT THIS OR YOU DON'T SUPPORT WHATEVER THE PARTICULAR THING IS. I'VE HEARD PEOPLE SAY, YOU KNOW, WORKING CLASS PEOPLE, BUSINESS PEOPLE VERSUS NOT IF YOU HEARD SOME OF THE PEOPLE SAID THEY LIVED ACTUALLY IN THE PLAZA TOWERS THAT WERE POSITIVE. I'VE HEARD FROM BUSINESS OWNERS WHO'VE BEEN SUPPORTIVE. I'VE HEARD FROM PEOPLE WHO ARE NOT SUPPORTED. I TO I THINK ONE OF THE NIGHTS I WROTE YOU AND I SAID, I CAN HEAR THE VIBRATION AND I LIVE IN CRESTON, I LIVE PAST MICHIGAN. AND SO NOW I'M GONNA STOP TALKING BECAUSE I THINK I'M GOING A LITTLE BIT, YOU KNOW, OVER THIS. BUT WHAT I WOULD SAY IS I AM PREPARED FOR MY VOTE. SO I'M I'M HAPPY TO MOVE TO CALL THE QUESTION, BUT I DID WANT TO ANSWER THAT QUESTION OF WHAT WAS THE INTENT, BECAUSE I DO TAKE RESPONSIBILITY AND STAND BY EVERY VOTE THAT I'VE EVER DONE ON THIS BODY. SO THANK YOU, COMMISSIONER PERDUE. THANK YOU. THANK YOU ALL FOR COMING OUT TO SHARE YOUR VIEWPOINT ON THIS ITEM. I A NUMBER OF PEOPLE SAID THAT THE. MY PLAN IS TO MOVE THIS FORWARD AS WELL. TODAY, A NUMBER OF PEOPLE SAID THAT WHAT WE HAVE HAD HAS WORKED, AND WE DON'T WANT TO TAKE AWAY THE RULES. THIS IS NOT TAKING AWAY THE RULES. THIS IS KEEPING THE RULES IN PLACE AROUND SOUND RESTRICTIONS FOR THE AMPHITHEATER. SO IT'S ACTUALLY MAKING IT CLEAR AND PREDICTABLE FOR EVERYONE INVOLVED. AND SO I THINK IN PART BECAUSE OF SOME OF THE NEWS AND THE MESSAGING THAT THAT MIGHT HAVE GOTTEN LOST AND MISUNDERSTOOD. AND SO I WANT TO BE REALLY CLEAR THAT THIS IS KEEPING LIMITATIONS AND RULES IN PLACE RELATED TO NOISE FOR THE AMPHITHEATER. AND FOR THAT REASON, I DO PLAN TO SUPPORT IT. I ALSO WANT TO BE CLEAR, THERE WERE SOME COMMENTS MADE ABOUT, YOU KNOW, A LOT OF SHORTCOMINGS THAT I DON'T KNOW HOW MANY HAVE BEEN OR WHAT, HOW, HOW WELL THEY'VE BEEN VERIFIED. BUT I DO WANT TO SAY THAT I HAVE SEEN OUR STAFF, OUR TEAMS HERE AT THE CITY, AND EVEN PEOPLE ON THIS DAIS BE REALLY RESPONSIVE TO LIKE TO CONCERNS WHEN WE WHEN THE AMPHITHEATER FIRST OPENED AND WE STARTED TO HEAR FROM FOLKS ABOUT THEIR EXPERIENCE, WE PUT IN SOME EFFORT, EXTRA EFFORT. WE SENT EVERYONE TO THE SAME PLACE TO SAY, THIS IS YOUR. LET US KNOW WHAT'S NOT WORKING. WE WANT TO HEAR. AND THEN I HEARD SOME FOLKS SAY THAT THERE WAS AN IMPROVEMENT. I'VE HEARD THAT OVER AND OVER AND OVER AGAIN BECAUSE THERE WERE RULES IN PLACE, BECAUSE WE HEARD FROM YOU ALL AND BECAUSE WE. WE DID ENFORCE WHAT WE HAD. SO I JUST WANT TO CORRECT THAT. I DON'T I DON'T WANT YOU ALL TO LEAVE WITH THE IMPRESSION THAT ENFORCEMENT AND MONITORING OR ENFORCEMENT OR DUE DILIGENCE HAS NOT TAKEN PLACE. I BELIEVE THAT IT HAS BEEN. AND I THINK THAT AS WE PREPARE FOR THE SECOND SEASON, THE CAA WILL CONTINUE TO WORK CLOSELY WITH US TO CREATE THE BEST EXPERIENCE WE CAN. I THINK THE AMPHITHEATER IS A BY FAR NET POSITIVE FOR THIS COMMUNITY.

I'M. I'M I'M NOT PLEASED THAT. I'M NOT HAPPY THAT SOME FOLKS HAVE NOT HAD THE BEST EXPERIENCE IN TERMS OF NOISE. I THINK IN OTHER PEOPLE'S WORDS, WE ALL HAVE DIFFERENT. HOW WE PERCEIVE NOISE CAN BE VERY SUBJECTIVE. RIGHT. AND MY PREFERENCE VERSUS YOUR PREFERENCE. SO I THINK THAT MAKES THE ISSUE OF NOISE SOMETHING REALLY, REALLY DICEY IN SOME CASES. SO I UNDERSTAND THAT NOT EVERYONE IS EQUALLY EXCITED. WE'VE HEARD THAT VERY, VERY CLEAR HERE TODAY. BUT I DO THINK, YOU KNOW, MOVING FORWARD TO CONTINUE TO ENFORCE WHAT WE

[01:55:02]

COMMISSIONER KILGORE. YES, COMMISSIONER. YES. COMMISSIONER. PERDUE. YES. COMMISSIONER.

KNIGHT. YES. COMMISSIONER. YES. MAYOR. LAGRANGE. YES. THAT BRINGS US TO CITY COMMISSION RESOLUTIONS, OF WHICH WE HAVE ONE. CAN I HAVE A MOTION? AND THEN THIS IS A WHAT WE SOMETIMES CALL A WALK ON ITEM. SO THIS HAS BEEN RAPIDLY DEVELOPING MATTERS. SO I NEED A MOTION TO SUSPEND THE RULES TO CONSIDER THE ISSUE SUPPORT. ALL IN FAVOR OF SUSPENDING THE RULES SAY I, I AND NOW THE RESOLUTION. MR. CLARK THIS IS STUBBS VERSUS TAYLOR IN CITY OF GRAND RAPIDS CITY COMMISSION RESOLUTION APPROVING A SETTLEMENT AND MOTION SUPPORT COMMISSIONER PERDUE. YEAH. SO THIS MATTER OF STUBBS V TAYLOR AND CITY OF GRAND RAPIDS IS A NO FAULT ACTION AND WAS PRESENTED TO THE CITY COMMISSION EARLIER TODAY ON OCTOBER 27TH. THIS SETTLEMENT, THE SETTLEMENT OF THIS MATTER AND ALL POTENTIAL CLAIMS RELATED TO IT WAS RECOMMENDED IN THE AMOUNT OF $60,000, AND THAT IS WHAT IS IN FRONT OF US FOR A VOTE MOMENTARILY. THANK YOU. ANY DISCUSSION? COLLEAGUES SEEING NONE. ALL IN FAVOR OF THE RESOLUTION, SAY I, I, I OPPOSED MOTION CARRIES. THANK YOU. THAT BRINGS US TO PUBLIC

[PUBLIC COMMENTS]

PLEASE. OR MEMBERS WHO AREN'T SPEAKING GIVE COURTESY OF THE PEOPLE WHO ARE AND REFRAIN FROM MAKING NOISE. AND IF YOU CAN TELL US IDEALLY WHERE YOU LIVE AND. HOLD ON ONE SECOND. SORRY, LUCAS, JUST HOLD ON. SO PLEASE DO NOT BLOCK THE DOORWAY. WE LEAVE EGRESS AND THERE'S NO NEED TO LINE UP. EVERYBODY WILL GET A GET A CHANCE SO YOU CAN LINE UP. BUT AS PEOPLE GO THROUGH. BUT PLEASE KEEP THE DOORWAY CLEAR FOR EGRESS. THANK YOU. THANKS, MR. LEVERETT.

LUCAS. AGAIN, IT'S IMPORTANT. IT'S IMPORTANT FOR PEOPLE TO UNDERSTAND THE LAYERS OF CORPORATISM INVOLVED IN EVERYTHING IN GR. SEE, THE AMPHITHEATER IS A PERFECT CASE STUDY FOR ALL THE BEST AND WORST THINGS ABOUT THIS CITY. I WAS A SUPPORTER FROM THE VERY BEGINNING, AND THIS AMPHITHEATER IS OBJECTIVELY SUPERIOR TO THE ONE IN MY HOMETOWN OF NASHVILLE. IT LOOKS BETTER, IT SOUNDS BETTER, AND IT'S GREEN SPACES HAVE BEEN KEPT OPEN. JUST AS I ADAMANTLY INSISTED DURING THE FEEDBACK SESSIONS. BUT AROUND HERE, YOU HAVE TO EITHER BOW DOWN FOR EVERY PART OF A PROJECT OR YOU'RE SLANDERED AS BEING AGAINST IT. Y'ALL LOVE TO SAY BOTH, AND BUT WHEN WE ASK FOR THAT, YOU SCOFF BECAUSE WE AREN'T KISSING CORPORATE ASS LIKE YOU. THE POWERS THAT BE DON'T LIKE IT WHEN YOU POINT OUT PROBLEMS LIKE THE SAME OLD PLANNING CRONIES, SHAMELESS WHORING TO MONOPOLISTS LIKE LIVE NATION AND THE CORPORATE WELFARE QUEENS AT LEGENDS GLOBAL TRAFFIC PLANNING BEING LAST MINUTE, SHUTTING OUT LOCAL BREWERIES, A LACK OF BIKE RACKS BY THE FRONT DOOR, OR THE BAN ON FOOD TRUCKS NEARBY. THE ROOT OF MOST OF OUR ISSUES IS THE ABDICATION OF AUTHORITY BY ELECTED OFFICIALS. CITY LEADERS JUST THROW THEIR HANDS UP AND PASS THE BUCK, SINCE THE PLACE NOW BELONGS TO KENT COUNTY AND IT'S RUN BY THE CONVENTION ARENA AUTHORITY, THE CAA PASSES THE BUCK TO LEGENDS GLOBAL, AND ALL OF THEM SNUGGLE UP TO THE LIKES OF LIVE NATION, RISKING FALLOUT OF FEDERAL ANTITRUST IMPACTING OUR CITY AND EXPORTING OUR ECONOMICS TO OUT-OF-TOWN PRIVATE EQUITY. WE ALL NEED TO BE PRESSURING ALL THE POWERS INVOLVED. THE CAA MEETS NEXT WEEK ON THE SIXTH. THE KENT COUNTY COMMISSION MEETS ON THE 19TH, BOTH AT 830 RIGHT HERE NEXT DOOR. ATTEND THESE MEETINGS AND ADD FRICTION TO THE MACHINATIONS OF GREED AND CORPORATE DOMINANCE. THE PEOPLE'S VOICE SHOULD BE SO MUCH MORE NOISY THAN A CONCERT ECHOING UP A RIVER. NOW, SPEAKING OF EARLY MEETINGS THAT ARE HARD TO TRACK, AND STANDING UP AGAINST THE AGENDAS OF CERTAIN POWER BROKERS, I NOTICED THIS MORNING THAT MY ONE COMMISSIONER BROUGHT UP THE TOPIC OF THE FIRST WARD VACANCY AGAIN IN THE COMMITTEE ON APPOINTMENTS. IT WAS QUICKLY SHOT DOWN, BUT THAT DOESN'T MAKE THE TOPIC ANY LESS IMPORTANT TO OUR WARDS RESIDENTS, AND SEEING IT GO NOWHERE FOR ANY RECONSIDERATION IS JUST ANOTHER REMINDER OF THE WHOLE SHIT SHOW SO FAR. THANK YOU, COMMISSIONER BELICHICK FOR TRYING. EVEN IF SOME OF MY NEIGHBORS DON'T WANT TO UNDERSTAND THAT YOU ARE, YOUR COLLEAGUES DON'T SEEM TO CARE. AND I'LL CONTINUE TO BLAME OUR MAYOR FOR MULTIPLE FAILURES OF LEADERSHIP THROUGHOUT THAT PROCESS. I AM VERY HOPEFUL THAT THAT LITTLE WEASEL THAT STARTED

[02:00:02]

I'M ASKING FOR THAT FURTHER DISCUSSION, BUT I'M ASKING THAT WE BE PART OF IT, NOT JUST THOSE UP ON THE DAIS AND THE CAA. WE NEED TO BE PART OF THAT DISCUSSION, AND THAT'S WHAT I'M ASKING FOR NOW IS A SOLUTION. HELLO, MY NAME IS CHLOE. I'M A VOLUNTEER WITH GRAND RAPIDS RAPID RESPONSE TO ICE. I SPEND A LOT OF TIME AT 507 OTTAWA AVENUE, WHERE THE ICE OFFICE IS.

AND I WANT TO SHARE WITH MY COMMUNITY JUST HOW HORRENDOUS ISIS PRESENCE IN GRAND RAPIDS IS. THEY ARE TAKING AT LEAST FIVE PEOPLE A DAY, TYPICALLY MORE. THEY TOOK TEN PEOPLE YESTERDAY AND NINE PEOPLE TODAY. THAT IS 19 PEOPLE WITHIN TWO DAYS. THINK ABOUT THAT. THAT IS ALMOST THE SIZE OF A CLASSROOM. THESE ARE HARD WORKING, TAXPAYING MEMBERS OF OUR COMMUNITY WHO ARE BEING TAKEN DEPORTED. IT IS EVIL AND THIS IS GOING TO HAVE DETRIMENTAL EFFECTS ON OUR COMMUNITIES AND COMMUNITIES ALL OVER THE NATION. WE ARE THERE OFTEN TO WITNESS WHAT'S HAPPENING AND STAND IN SOLIDARITY WITH OUR KIDNAPED NEIGHBORS. CAN YOU IMAGINE THE TERROR YOU WOULD FEEL BEING TAKEN BY MEN IN MASKS WITH NO BADGE, NO IDENTIFICATION, NO ANYTHING? AND THESE AGENTS WAKE UP SO HAPPY AND READY TO DO IT WHILE THEY STOP AND GET A COFFEE AT SWEETWATERS RIGHT BEFORE RIPPING FAMILIES APART. THEY ARE COWARDS. A COUPLE OF WEEKS AGO, A FEW OF US WERE ACROSS THE STREET WHEN AN AGENT OPENED THE DOOR, STUCK JUST HIS HANDS OUT WITH A SIGN, AND HELD UP A SIGN THAT SAID GOOD MORNING, CHLOE WITH A HEART.

THERE HAVE BEEN MULTIPLE TIMES THEY HAVE CALLED ME BY MY NAME, TRYING TO INTIMIDATE ME AND OTHER COMRADES, AND GRPD HAS ARRESTED AT LEAST SIX OF US FOR PROTESTING ON PUBLIC PROPERTY AT THE ICE OFFICE. BUT I REFUSE TO LET THESE WEAK MEN STOP US FOR FIGHTING FOR WHAT IS RIGHT.

AND YOU ARE A WEAK, PITIFUL PERSON. IF YOU THINK RIPPING APART APART FAMILIES IS GOING TO SOLVE ANYTHING IN THIS COUNTRY, THE ONLY THINGS RUINING AMERICA ARE DONALD TRUMP, MAGA BILLIONAIRES, AND THE SPINELESS LEADERSHIP FROM ALL OF OUR ELECTED OFFICIALS, LOCAL AND NATIONAL. YESTERDAY, AN ICE AGENT ASKED US, ARE WE OPPRESSING THEM OR SENDING THEM HOME? WHAT A GROSS COMMENT. AND THAT SHOWS A COMPLETE LACK OF EMPATHY AND IN MY OPINION, A CLEARLY LOW IQ. HOME IS WHEREVER THEY HAVE CHOSEN TO GO, TO LIVE A SAFE LIFE WITH THEIR FAMILY. AND THAT'S WHAT THIS COUNTRY WAS SUPPOSED TO BE. BUT STILL DOCUMENTED IMMIGRANTS ARE BEING DETAINED. THERE ARE ALSO CASES, DOCUMENTED CASES OF PEOPLE BEING DEPORTED TO COUNTRIES THEY AREN'T EVEN FROM. AND AT THE END OF THE DAY, WE ARE ALL HUMAN AND DESERVE TO HAVE A PLACE TO LIVE. AND THIS ISN'T JUST ABOUT WHAT ICE IS DOING. IT'S ABOUT HOW OUR OWN COMMUNITY RESPONDS. THE COMPANY NEXT TO ICE, THE ICE OFFICE, SPALDING AND DECKER, DOES NOT LET ICE USE ITS PARKING LOT, BUT THEY DO LET US. AND THAT TELLS YOU SOMETHING. OUR COMMUNITY DOES NOT WANT THIS HAPPENING IN OUR CITY. PEOPLE ARE BEING TERRORIZED, FAMILIES ARE BEING RIPPED APART, AND OUR NEIGHBORS ARE LIVING IN FEAR. SO I'M ASKING YOU DIRECTLY, WHAT ARE WE GOING TO DO ABOUT IT? WE NEED MORE STATEMENT MORE THAN STATEMENTS OF CONCERN. WE NEED ACTION. WE NEED YOU TO ADVANCE SANCTUARY POLICIES, PROTECT OUR IMMIGRANT NEIGHBORS, AND USE EVERY TOOL AVAILABLE TO LIMIT LOCAL COOPERATION WITH ICE AND PREVENT OUR LOCAL RESOURCES FROM CONTRIBUTING TO THIS ABUSE. I KNOW SOME OF YOU CARE. MOST OF YOU HAD SAID THAT YOU DO, BUT IT IS TIME TO TURN WORDS INTO ACTION. OUR COMMUNITY IS TIRED AND TRAUMATIZED, AND WE NEED LEADERS WHO ARE WILLING TO STAND UP FOR WHAT IS RIGHT.

PLEASE SHOW US THAT YOUR WORDS MEAN SOMETHING AND PROTECT OUR NEIGHBORS AND ICE. HI. GOOD EVENING. THANK YOU FOR THE TIME. I DO REALIZE THAT THIS IS COMPARATIVELY A MICRO ISSUE, BUT IT'S VERY IMPORTANT TO THE RESIDENTS THAT ARE AFFECTED BY THIS. MY NAME IS CHARLIE SAGE.

I LIVE AT THE WESTMINSTER MEADOWS APARTMENT BUILDING. IT'S A 64 UNIT PLUS 55 APARTMENT BUILDING, AND THERE ARE AT LEAST A DOZEN PEOPLE THERE LIVING WITH SERIOUS MOBILITY ISSUES. THEY USE WALKERS, CANES, ELECTRIC WHEELCHAIRS, THE LITTLE THREE WHEELED SCOOTERS AND THE APARTMENT. AND THIS IS AT 1150 PLYMOUTH AVENUE NORTHEAST. AND THERE IS A TWO STORY COMMERCIAL BUILDING DIRECTLY NORTH OF OUR APARTMENT BUILDING THAT AT 1170

[02:05:09]

I'M ONE OF THE YOUNGEST PEOPLE IN THE BUILDING, AND THERE'S ALSO STONY BROOK APARTMENTS DIRECTLY TO THE SOUTH OF OUR BUILDING. THERE'S PLENTY OF PHYSICALLY CHALLENGED PEOPLE THERE TRYING TO GET THROUGH. THERE'S ACTUALLY A BLIND COUPLE IN THE WITH THEIR CANES. AND SO I'M JUST ASKING THE CITY, WILL YOU PLEASE REACH OUT TO THIS PROPERTY OWNER AND INSTRUCT THEM THAT THEY HAVE TO USE THE SNOW PLOW SERVICE TO CLEAN THE SIDEWALK OFF? THIS HAS BEEN GOING ON FOR A DECADE. SO PLEASE, WHAT WOULD YOU DO THAT FOR THE PEOPLE WITH SERIOUS MOBILITY ISSUES? THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME. HELLO, I'M MATTHEW SCOTT. WE HAVE BEEN AT THE CITY BECAUSE OF. THREATS AND PESTS EXPERIENCES. WE HAVE BEEN. I WAS JUST WE HAVE BEEN GIVEN PERMISSION TO OMIT ADDRESS WITH US LIVE ON THE SOUTHWEST SIDE. AND I'M HERE TODAY TO KIND OF DEFEND US AND YOU AND EVERYONE ELSE CAN TRY TO SHUT UP GOD ALL YOU WANTED, BUT HE WILL ALL YOU WANT. BUT YEAH, BUT WE WILL. HE WILL NOT BE MOCKED AND HE WILL NOT. AND YEAH, HE WILL NOT BE.

HE WILL. HIS WILL WILL ULTIMATELY PREVAIL. AND WE ARE, LIKE DAD SAID, OUR REAL IDENTITY IS WE FOLLOWERS OF THE LORD JESUS CHRIST. AND WE ARE NOT DEMOCRAT. WE'RE NOT REPUBLICAN. WE VOTE ACCORDING TO THE. WE VOTE ACCORDING TO THE SCRIPTURES AND. THAT IS GOING TO WARN YOU ABOUT. THAT'S GOING TO WARN YOU ABOUT SOME OF THE PEOPLE. BUT YEAH, LIKE MARK ALWAYS SAYS, IF YOU. YEAH, GET OUT AND VOTE. BECAUSE IF YOU DON'T VOTE, YOU ARE VOTING. AND IF YOU DO VOTE, YOU ARE VOTING. SO IF YOU DON'T VOTE, YOU DON'T HAVE A RIGHT TO COMPLAIN. AND I WOULD LIKE TO END BY THANKING YOU ALL FOR YOUR SERVICE OR. HOLIDAYS COMING UP. SO THANK YOU ALL FOR YOU SERVICE AND I WOULD LIKE TO SEE YOU ALL IN HEAVEN SOMEDAY. SO I PLEAD WITH YOU BEFORE THE DAY IS COMING WHEN HE'S COMING BACK. AND I WOULD LIKE TO JUST SEE YOU ALL IN HEAVEN. SO I'M GONNA JUST CALL ON THE LORD AND CALL ON THE NAME OF THE LORD, AND YOU SHALL BE SAVED. THANK YOU. THANK YOU, MATTHEW. WELL SAID. MAYOR GRANT, I'M SORRY THAT YOU HAD TO DEAL WITH THOSE TWO INSURRECTIONS FROM BACK IN SEPTEMBER. PEOPLE HAVE VOTED FOR YOU. CONCERNING THE INSURRECTIONS HERE. I WONDER IF THEY ARE PAID LIKE OTHERS IN MINNESOTA, NEW YORK, SEATTLE. I WOULD APPEAL TO THEM. WHY DON'T YOU GO? CAUSE AN INSURRECTION

[02:10:06]

MAYOR LA GRANDE, YOU CALLED ME A LIAR PUBLICLY. I DON'T APPRECIATE THAT. DO THE RESEARCH YOURSELF. WHAT MOHAMMED EL SAEED BELIEVES AND SAYS AND WANTS TO IMPLEMENT.

THE ELECTIONS ARE A WEEK AWAY. AND I WOULD LIKE TO REMIND EVERYONE UNDER THE SOUND OF MY VOICE, IF YOU VOTE FOR A CANDIDATE WHO IS PRO-DEATH LIKE MOHAMMED AND LIKE BENSON, THEY ARE SUPPORTED BY PLANNED GENOCIDE, I.E. PLANNED PARENTHOOD. YOU, YOU, YOU VOTE FOR THEM, THEY WIN THEIR ELECTIONS AND THEY IMPLEMENT THOSE BLOODY, CRUEL, MURDEROUS ACTS ON OUR CHILDREN. YOU WILL BE HELD RESPONSIBLE. YOU WILL BE CONSIDERED BY GOD ALMIGHTY TO BE AN ACCOMPLICE TO MURDER. THEY'VE HELPED PUSH PROPOSAL THREE THROUGH OUR STATE LEGISLATURE, WHICH ALLOWS THE MURDER OF BABIES UP TO NINE MONTHS. AND OF COURSE, OFTENTIMES AFTERWARDS. AND I'D LIKE TO REMIND EVERYONE HERE, JUST A FEW MILES FROM WHERE WE'RE STANDING AT 425 EAST CHERRY, THEY CONTINUE TO MURDER 100 BABIES ON AVERAGE EVERY MONTH. AND BY THE WAY, IF YOU CONTINUE TO CUT MY TIME SHORT, AS YOU DID LAST TIME, I WOULD REMIND YOU YOU'RE SUPPRESSING ME OF MY FIRST AMENDMENT RIGHTS. AND ONE LAST ITEM. I GUESS HE LEFT. BUT, COMMISSIONER KILGORE, IF YOU CAN HEAR ME, I WANT TO ASSERT AGAIN. WE DON'T HATE YOU OR ANYONE ELSE ON THIS COMMISSION. WE'RE NOT ATTACKING YOU. THE LORD JESUS CHRIST COMMANDS US TO LOVE JUST AS HE DOES. WE PRAY FOR YOU EVERY DAY, EVERY ONE OF YOU AND YOUR FAMILIES. WE WOULDN'T DO THAT IF WE DIDN'T LOVE YOU. BE CAREFUL WHO YOU VOTE FOR. ALL RIGHT, MY THREE MINUTES. EVENING, COMMISSIONERS. IT'S AN HONOR TO BE BEFORE YOU HERE TODAY. MY NAME IS JENNIFER, AND I'M ACTUALLY FROM WYOMING. BUT MY ORGANIZATION DOES A LOT OF WORK WITH YOUR AMAZING CITY, YOUR POLICE, AND SOME OF YOU, I WANT TO SAY HERE IN THIS ROOM TODAY IS A GREAT REPRESENTATION OF YOUR CITY. IT'S KIND OF LIKE A FAMILY, A LITTLE DYSFUNCTIONAL, BUT STILL FAMILY. BUT I WANT TO BRING UP SOMETHING THAT I'VE NOTICED OVER TIME THAT I FEEL LIKE THERE'S A PART OF THE FAMILY THAT IS NOT WELCOME TO THE TABLE. IT'S LIKE I'M HAVING A KID AND HE COMES HOME AND HE WANTS TO TELL YOU HE GOT AN A ON A TEST AND HE'S IGNORED. HE COMES HOME AND EXCITEDLY TELLS YOU HE MADE THE SOCCER TEAM AND HE'S IGNORED. BUT THEN HE COMES HOME AND HE TELLS YOU HE GOT A C AND HE'S JUMPED ALL OVER. NOW, I KNOW NONE OF YOU WOULD TREAT YOUR CHILDREN LIKE THAT, BUT I FEEL LIKE THAT'S HOW WE TREAT OUR POLICE. THEY'RE PART OF THIS COMMUNITY AND FAMILY. THEY ARE THE ONES SERVING AND PROTECTING AND ANSWERING ALL OF OUR CALLS. WE WANT TRUE ACCOUNTABILITY AND TRANSPARENCY.

SHOULDN'T THAT BE INCLUDE THE GOOD TO. MAYBE SOME OF THESE FAMILY MEETINGS COULD START EVEN WITH A GRAND RAPIDS OFFICER SHARING ONE TO MAYBE TEN OF THE AMAZING THINGS THEIR OFFICERS DO, WHETHER IT'S BRINGING PEACE TO A DOMESTIC VIOLENCE SITUATION, WHETHER IT'S BRINGING A BABY BACK TO LIFE, OR WHETHER IT'S BRINGING SOMEONE AWAY FROM A LEDGE AND KEEPING THEM FROM KILLING THEMSELVES. THIS IS TRUE ACCOUNTABILITY AND TRANSPARENCY FOR A FAMILY. AND THERE'S ONE OTHER DYNAMIC OF FAMILY I WANTED TO ADDRESS THAT.

SOMETIMES THESE MEETINGS ARE LIKE THE FAMILY DINNER WHERE EVERYBODY COMES AROUND TO SHARE ABOUT THEIR DAYS, AND WE PLAN THE FUTURE. BUT THERE'S ONE DIFFERENT CHILD THAT COMES TO THE TABLE AND INSTEAD OF JOINING, CONVERSATION STANDS UP AND SCREAMS AND THROWS A TEMPER TANTRUM SO THAT THE FAMILY LEAVES THE ROOM. AND I THINK IT'S TIME AND IT'S OKAY TO PUT THE CHILD IN TIME OUT AND NOT THE FAMILY. YOU DON'T DO THAT BECAUSE YOU DON'T LOVE HIM. YOU

[02:15:06]

YOU ARE THE LEADERS OF THIS AMAZING COMMUNITY AND AMAZING FAMILY YOU LEAD AND YOU LOVE US ALL. THANK YOU. HI, I'M SHIONA AND I'M BACK FOR A SECOND TIME. I LIVE IN THE FIRST WARD AND I JUST WANTED TO I, I MET WITH A FEW OF YOU OUTSIDE OF HERE AND YOU GUYS SAW. I SAY, LET US KNOW WHAT'S GOING ON. LET US KNOW WHAT'S GOING ON. SO HERE I AM. I'M GOING TO LET YOU GUYS KNOW WHAT'S GOING ON. THE OFFICE OF OVERSIGHT AND PUBLIC ACCOUNTABILITY OFFERS A FREE KNOW YOUR RIGHTS PRESENTATION. AND IF YOU CAN BRING TOGETHER A GROUP OF TEN OR MORE PEOPLE, THEY'LL BRING THE PRESENTATION DIRECTLY TO YOUR COMMUNITY. BRANDON, LETICIA, ALBERT AND GAIL. I APPRECIATE THEM SO MUCH FOR THE VETERANS IN OUR COMMUNITY. SHEROES CORNER AND THE ART OF RESILIENCE VETERAN ART PROGRAM ARE LOOKING FOR WOMEN, VETERANS OR WOMEN WHO HAVE SERVED TO TAKE PART IN BOOTS ON THE FENCE HEALING AND ARTS. IF YOU KNOW SOMEONE WHO MAY BE INTERESTED, ENCOURAGE HER TO STOP BY SHEROES CORNER AND TALK WITH JONI. AND FINALLY, I WANT TO GIVE A PERSONAL SHOUT OUT TO OUR COMMUNITY'S CHILDREN. I KNOW THAT THEY WERE ON THE DOCKET TONIGHT, ESPECIALLY SHANNON HARRIS, ZACHARY LARAWAY, AND GINA PETERS. MY FAMILY HAS SEEN FIRSTHAND WHAT PROGRAMS LIKE THE MAYOR'S YOUTH COUNCIL, T2C AND GRO 1000 CAN DO. WHEN A COMMUNITY TRULY INVESTS IN ITS YOUNG PEOPLE. I RAISED THREE DAUGHTERS AS A SINGLE MOM, BUT I DIDN'T RAISE THEM ALONE. I HAD A VILLAGE TODAY. MY OLDEST, NATALIE, HAS A BACHELOR'S AND MASTER'S DEGREE AND WORKS AS A STUDY ABROAD DIRECTOR AT NOTRE DAME. MY MIDDLE DAUGHTER, VERONICA, IS IN HER THIRD YEAR OF MEDICAL SCHOOL AT THE UNIVERSITY OF MICHIGAN, AND MY YOUNGEST DAUGHTER, LUCY, JUST GRADUATED FROM THE GRAND RAPIDS FIRE DEPARTMENT CADET PROGRAM.

I'M INCREDIBLY PROUD OF THEM AND DEEPLY GRATEFUL TO EVERYONE WHO HELPED US ALONG THE WAY, INCLUDING CHIEF BROWN. OUR CITY AND COMMUNITY WERE PART OF OUR VILLAGE, AND THAT'S WHY I KEEP TALKING ABOUT THESE RESOURCES. SOMEONE ELSE OUT HERE NEEDS A VILLAGE, TOO. LET'S HELP THEM FIND IT. AND TO ALL OF YOU, OUR PUBLIC SERVANTS, THANK YOU FOR THE CARE AND DEDICATION YOU BRING TO OUR COMMUNITY. THANK YOU FOR CONTINUING TO SHOW UP FOR GRAND RAPIDS. HELLO. THANK YOU FOR HEARING US ALL SPEAK TODAY. I'M HERE AS A TAXPAYER, A FRIEND, A MOM, A NEIGHBOR, A COWORKER, AND A HUMAN RIGHTS AND SOCIAL JUSTICE ADVOCATE. I DOUBT ANY OF YOU ARE EXCITED FOR THE TURNOUT TONIGHT, AND I DON'T SEE IT GETTING BETTER ANY TIME SOON. THE PEOPLE, THE MOBS OF PEOPLE IT TAKES TO UNDO CORRUPT POWER STRUCTURES, WE CAN'T FIT THEM ALL IN HERE.

THAT'S WHY WE ELECT ALL OF YOU TO REPRESENT US. AND WHAT IS IMPORTANT TO US. THAT IS US.

NOT THE DEVOS FAMILY, NOT THE MEYER FAMILY, AND NOT THE VANDALS. IT IS SHAMEFUL TO SEE OUR LOCAL BILLIONAIRE OLIGARCHS AND THE WAY THEY USE THEIR MONEY AND POWER TO CONTROL OUR LOCAL GOVERNMENT. THE TRUMP REGIME HAS THE FOSSIL FUEL, BIG TECH, FOREIGN DICTATOR AND OTHER BILLIONAIRES PUSHING THEIR AGENDAS. YOU ALL HAVE THE DEVOS, THE MEYER FAMILY, THE VANDALS, AND SOME OTHER CORRUPT, POWER HUNGRY FIGURES PUSHING AGENDAS THROUGH THE CITY OF GRAND RAPIDS AND KENT COUNTY. WE ARE THE TAXPAYERS. YOU ARE THE EMPLOYERS OR THE EMPLOYEES.

MY BAD. WHEN WE SAY WE WANT AFFORDABLE HOUSING AND FOR OUR TAXES TO BE USED TO HELP FIX THE AFFORDABLE HOUSING CRISIS, OUR CITY OFFICIALS USE THEM INSTEAD TO BUILD AN AMPHITHEATER, FEEDING OUR LOCAL OLIGARCHS AND THEIR AGENDA. THAT IS TAXATION WITHOUT REPRESENTATION. WHEN WE SAY WE WANT OUR TAXES TO BE SPENT ON EARLY CHILD CARE PROGRAMS, OUR CITY OFFICIALS BUILT HIGH RISE TOWERS, FEEDING OUR LOCAL OLIGARCHS AND THEIR AGENDA.

THAT IS TAXATION WITHOUT REPRESENTATION. WHEN WE ASK FOR OUR TAX DOLLARS TO HELP SUPPORT THE UNHOUSED AND DEVELOP SOCIAL PROGRAMS, OUR CITY OFFICIALS BUILD A SOCCER STADIUM FEEDING THE LOCAL OLIGARCHS. THAT IS TAXATION WITHOUT REPRESENTATION. WHEN WE SAY WE DON'T WANT OUR TAX DOLLARS USED TO HELP ICE, THE GRAND RAPIDS POLICE DEPARTMENT, FUNDED BY US, ASSISTS ICE FEEDING TRUMP AND ITS OLIGARCHS. THAT IS TAXATION WITHOUT REPRESENTATION AND JUST SO CRUEL AND EVIL. LONG STORY SHORT, WE ARE HERE ONCE AGAIN ASKING OUR ELECTED OFFICIALS TO HEAR US AND REPRESENT US. FIRST. PLEASE DO NOT EXEMPT THE AMPHITHEATER. I KNOW YOU ALREADY VOTED FROM THE NOISE ORDINANCE. IT'S A DEVOS INSPIRED PROJECT THAT WE DIDN'T WANT BUILT ANYWAYS. NOW IT IS CAUSING ALL THE PROBLEMS. RESIDENTS WHO OPPOSED IT BEING BUILT SAID IT WOULD. TAXPAYING RESIDENTS WANT THE AMPHITHEATER TO PLAY BY THE SAME RULES WE

[02:20:01]

THESE POLICIES. THANK YOU. HELLO, MY NAME IS GRIFFIN AND GOOD EVENING. ONCE A MONTH.

TWICE. IF A PERSON IS AVAILABLE WITH REGULARITY AT 2 P.M. ON TUESDAY, THE GENERAL PUBLIC IS ALLOTTED THREE MINUTES OF WHICH TO DISCUSS THEIR NON AGENDA ITEM ISSUES AND CONCERNS. IT'S LESS OF A DISCUSSION AND MORE OF A PRESENTATION, THREE MINUTES OF WHICH TO PRESENT THEIR IDEAS AND MORE OR LESS DEFEND THE VALIDITY OF THOSE CONCERNS. AND IN BETWEEN THOSE THREE MINUTES EACH MONTH, THE LANDSCAPE OF THE CITY WE LOVE CHANGES DRASTICALLY. THIS COULD BE FLOCK AGREEMENTS THAT ARE BEING SIGNED. THIS COULD BE AMPHITHEATER BUILDINGS THAT ARE CONTRACTED WITHOUT PROPER SOUND TESTING. AND RECENTLY THIS IS OUR IMMIGRANT FRIENDS, NEIGHBORS AND LOVED ONES DETAINED AND TAKEN AWAY FOR MINOR TRAFFIC STOPS OR OFTEN NOTHING AT ALL. PEOPLE WHOSE EXISTENCE AND CONTRIBUTIONS THAT ARE BENEFICIAL TO THE COMMUNITIES THAT WE ALL TAKE PART IN. HUMANS WHO WE ARE DEMANDING TO BE SHOWN THE BASIC RESPECT, DECENCY AND KINDNESS THAT THEY DESERVE. AND I AM LUCKY. I AM LUCKY BECAUSE I AM PHYSICALLY CAPABLE OF BEING HERE TO SPEAK MY CONCERNS THAT I CAN HAVE MY THREE MINUTES PER MONTH, AND THAT I CAN LEAVE HERE AND NOT BE IN FEAR THAT I WON'T MAKE IT HOME TO MY FAMILY.

I, LIKE MANY OTHERS IN THIS ROOM, ARE HERE AGAIN TODAY TO ASK THAT THE CITY COMMISSION TAKE ACTION. I AM INCREDIBLY THANKFUL FOR THE PEOPLE ON THIS COUNCIL WHO HAVE TAKEN THE TIME TO SPEAK WITH MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC ON THESE ISSUES. WE RECOGNIZE THAT. BUT TALK IS ONE THING AND ACTION AND POLICY IS ANOTHER. I ASK THAT THE CITY TAKE ACTION NOW TO MAKE OUR HOME SAFER FOR OUR IMMIGRANT POPULATION. I STAND WITH SIX CITY SANCTUARY POLICY DEMANDS.

I STAND WITH COSTCO'S PRIVACY, SAFETY AND DIGNITY FOR ALL ORDINANCE. WITH THE LAST OF MY THREE MINUTES FOR THIS MONTH, I WOULD LIKE TO LEAVE YOU ALL WITH A QUESTION, ONE THAT I EARNESTLY HOPE THAT YOU CONSIDER IN THE FOLLOWING DAYS AND WEEKS. IF THE PRICE OF YOUR MORALITY IS THAT YOU WILL ONLY STAND BY IT AND ARE WILLING TO ACT ON IT. WHEN IT COSTS YOU NOTHING, THEN WHAT IS YOUR MORALITY REALLY WORTH? HELLO, MY NAME IS LAUREN. I'VE BEEN A RESIDENT OF GRAND RAPIDS MY ENTIRE ADULT LIFE. I'M SURE I DON'T NEED TO GO INTO DETAIL HERE BECAUSE MOST OF YOU KNOW ME AT THIS POINT. LAST TIME WE CHATTED, IT WAS A FEW SHORT DAYS AFTER MARIO DAVID CORONADO JUAREZ HAD BEEN RUN OFF THE ROAD BY ICE AGENTS, AS WAS KILLED IN THE CRASH IN OUR CITY. I WANT TO TAKE A MOMENT AND ACKNOWLEDGE THOSE OF YOU THAT ATTENDED THE VIGIL THAT WE HAD FOR MARIO AT THE CRASH SITE, ESPECIALLY THOSE OF YOU THAT GAVE CONDOLENCES TO THE FAMILY AND WERE CLEARLY IMPACTED BY THE RITUALS. IT WASN'T ALL OF YOU THAT CAME, THOUGH, BY THE COMMUNITY TURNOUT AND THE GRIEF AS YOU TOOK IT ALL IN OBVIOUSLY CLEARLY IMPACTED SOME OF YOU, WHILE OTHERS JUST STARED BLANKLY AND DIDN'T SPEAK TO ANYBODY. THANK YOU. TO THOSE OF YOU THAT WERE THERE WITH POSITIVE INTENT AND TO GRIEVE WITH THE COMMUNITY. AND I REALLY HOPE THAT THE ONES THAT WERE THERE KEPT THEIR EYES OPEN, ESPECIALLY YOU, DAVID, AND PAID CLOSE ATTENTION TO THE ABYSMAL BEHAVIOR ONCE AGAIN DISPLAYED BY GRPD WHEN THEY DECIDED TO HARASS THE VOLUNTEER TEAM WORKING TO ENSURE ALL OF OUR COMMUNITY, INCLUDING YOURSELVES, COULD SAFELY CROSS THE STREET TO THE VIGIL, PULLING UP THE CRUISERS DURING SACRED INCANTATIONS, BELLIGERENTLY YELLING OUT THE WINDOW AT PEOPLE TO GET OFF THE STREET AND RUDELY BARKING THAT WE WERE NOT AUTHORIZED TO BE. THERE WAS A LOVELY DISPLAY OF COMMUNITY CARE. ANOTHER SURPRISE SHOCKER AN EXAMPLE OF HARD EARNED SALARIES, AKA OUR TAX DOLLARS. WHEN THEY HAD ENOUGH OF THE CARNIVAL BARKING, THEY

[02:25:02]

MY FIRST COMMENT I'M VERY ANGRY AND FRUSTRATED THAT WE ONLY HAVE ONE FIRST WORD REPRESENTATIVE AND THERE'S NOT A TEMPORARY PERSON. SO WHILE ALL THESE SITUATIONS ARE BROUGHT UP ABOUT FLAT CAMERAS AND THERE'S STILL THREE RIGHT ACROSS FROM MY HOUSE THAT ARE NOT LISTED ON A FLAT MAP, I CONTINUOUSLY TELL YOU THIS, NO ONE'S LISTENING. I WOULD LIKE TO KNOW WHERE ALL THE DATA IS GOING. I WANT TO KNOW WHO'S STORING IT. IT'S NOT IN THE CITY'S 31. I PASS MORE THAN 20 FLAT CAMERAS JUST DRIVING FROM HOLLAND DIVISION TO 68TH IN DIVISION. EVERY SINGLE DAY. ALL I SEE ARE POLICE. EVERY DAY, EVERY SINGLE DAY THEY ARE PULLING SOMEONE OVER AND PULLING SOMEONE OUT OF THE CAR. AND I MIGHT GET EXTRA. THERE MIGHT BE A GUN TO SOMEONE'S HEAD. I'M HIGHLY TRAUMATIZED AND EVERY SINGLE TIME I SHOW UP, I'M MORE TRAUMATIZED THAN THE LAST TIME I CAME. I DON'T KNOW WHY NO ONE'S LISTENING OR CARING. LIKE I MAKE PHONE CALLS TO CITY HALL. I DO, AND I ASK FOR A RESPONSE. I DON'T GET IT.

AND AND THE THING IS, I'M MAKING AN ANNOUNCEMENT RIGHT NOW. I BECAME A GRANDMA TWO MONTHS AGO. THIS IS THE FIRST TIME I'VE ANNOUNCED IT. AND YOU KNOW WHAT? I THOUGHT ABOUT HOW MUCH OF MY BABY'S CHILDHOOD THAT I MISSED OUT. YOU KNOW WHY I WAS HERE? I WAS HERE IN MY 30S, MY KID THAT I BROUGHT WITH ME THAT I NEVER RECEIVED CHILD SUPPORT FOR WITH HER DADDY THAT MADE SIX FIGURES A YEAR, NEVER A PENNY. I GAVE MY TIME TO THE CITY, SPEAKING UP JUST FOR MY NEIGHBORS, JUST AGAINST VIOLENCE FROM THE GOVERNMENT. I WANTED TO SEE JUSTICE HAPPEN.

AND NOW MY FAMILY THAT I USED TO HAVE ISN'T HERE ANYMORE. BUT YET WE HAVE MORE FAMILIES TURNING OUT JUST LIKE MINE. ICE AND POLICE WORKING TOGETHER. I HAVE YEARS OF FOOTAGE. I HAVE MORE THAN A DECADE. DO YOU THINK ONE PERSON FROM YOUR OFFICE WILL SIT DOWN AND TALK TO ME? OH, MISSY, I KNOW YOU'RE TOO BUSY LOOKING AT YOUR SHIT TO. ANYWAYS, I'M BEYOND FRUSTRATED AND ANGRY, AND YOU SHOULD BE TOO. THE FACT THAT THE AMOUNT OF VIOLENCE I WATCHED FROM YOUR OFFICERS IS DISGUSTING, DISTURBING. I LISTENED TO SCREAMS OF TERROR.

THEY USE FLOODLIGHTS ACROSS TED RASBERRY BASEBALL FIELD LIKE THEY'RE LOOKING FOR ANIMALS.

THESE ARE SIMULATED CLAN ACTIVITIES AND THEY ARE BEATING PEOPLE. KIDS, A 19 YEAR OLD, I TOLD YOU, I JUST WANT YOU TO KNOW. FIVE DAYS AFTER I CAME HERE, LAST TIME, MY NEIGHBOR WAS MURDERED BY GUN VIOLENCE. OKAY, I GAVE YOU A WARNING, AND YOU DIDN'T LISTEN. AND I ASKED YOU TO CALL HIS FAMILY TO GIVE CONDOLENCES. BUT YOU SENT GRPD THERE EVERY SINGLE DAY TO HARASS MOURNERS AT A VIGIL. IT'S DISGUSTING. I HAVE DOCUMENTATION. CAN I APPROACH

[02:30:09]

YOU HAVE EVIDENCE PRESENTED RIGHT IN FRONT OF YOU, EVIDENCE THAT, FRANKLY, SHOULD HAVE BEEN COLLECTED BY THE GRAND RAPIDS POLICE DEPARTMENT. INSTEAD OF STALKING MY NEIGHBORS. I'VE RUN OUT OF WORDS BECAUSE I FEEL LIKE NO MATTER HOW MANY TIMES YOU TRIED TO DEFEND AN OPINION, WHICH, BY THE WAY, PAST HOW MANY ORDINANCES WITHOUT ANY SINGLE COMMENT, WHAT ARE WE DOING? UNLESS YOU'RE HAVING THE CONVERSATIONS BEHIND CLOSED DOORS AND YOU MAKE THAT LIKE AN APPARENT CONVERSATION THAT, HEY, WE HAD THIS CONVERSATION AND WE'RE VERY EDUCATED ON IT. I DON'T UNDERSTAND HOW HAVING NO COMMENT OVER ANY ORDINANCES IS A PRODUCTIVE THING TO DO. THAT IS HOW YOU END UP WITH ORDINANCES LIKE THE ONE YOU'RE HAVING TO AMEND. AND HAVING SO MANY PEOPLE COME TO YOU ABOUT, AND WE'RE STILL GOING TO BE IN THE SAME SITUATION BECAUSE NO ONE IN THIS BOARD APPARENTLY VOTED AGAINST IT. I'M ALSO TIRED BECAUSE AFTER WE HAD TO RESPOND TO THE ABDUCTION OF MARIO, DAVID CORONADO, JUAREZ'S FOUR COUSINS, WE HAD TO DEAL WITH MISINFORMATION THAT WE WERE GIVING OUT MISINFORMATION. IT'S BEEN CONFIRMED. SO HOW WAS IT MISINFORMATION? THESE ARE LIKE THE SMALL THINGS THAT YOU GUYS COULD EVEN BE DOING AND HELPING PROMOTE. HEY, THIS HAPPENED. IT SHOULDN'T HAVE HAPPENED. THESE ARE THE THESE ARE THE I, THE LAYUPS, THE POP FLIES THAT YOU GUYS SHOULD BE ABLE TO BAT AT AND LIKE HOME RUN. AND WE'RE NOT DOING THAT. I'M SEEING SO MANY OTHER GOVERNMENTS DOING SO MUCH

[02:35:01]

I DON'T UNDERSTAND WHAT ELSE IT WOULD MEAN OR WHAT ELSE IT WOULD BE FOR. SO PLEASE PAY ATTENTION TO THAT WHEN YOU'RE VOTING. I AM THE TOP CANVASSER IN KENT COUNTY THIS YEAR THROUGH THE KENT DEMS, AND I'M NOW WORKING MY WAY THROUGH WYOMING, MICHIGAN, OUR NEIGHBORS. AND JUST LIKE THE GUY THAT GETS UP HERE AND SPEAKS SPEECH HATE, WHAT'S THAT SAYING? THERE'S NO LOVE LIKE CHRISTIAN HATE. WE'VE GOT ALL THE RACISTS SHOWING THEIR UGLY HEADS RIGHT NOW FOR THIS ELECTION. ABDUL IS BEING DEMONIZED. WE'VE SEEN IT BEFORE WITH BARACK OBAMA, THE BIRTHER MOVEMENT AND ALL THE HATE CAME TO THE SURFACE. SO WE'RE SEEING THIS ALL NOW WITH ABDUL. THAT MEANS THEY'RE AFRAID OF HIM. THAT MEANS WE NEED TO ELECT HIM.

BUT IN WYOMING, IT'S REALLY A MIXED BAG. I'M GETTING DOORS SLAMMED IN MY FACE OR PEOPLE ARE EXCITED TO VOTE FOR HIM. IT'S TRUE. WE'RE STILL SEGREGATING OURSELVES. THERE'S A LOT OF RACISTS IN WYOMING, UNFORTUNATELY. PLEASE VOTE FOR ABDUL WITH CONFIDENCE AND KNOW THAT WE ARE VOTING FOR A PERSON THAT'S GOING TO REPRESENT ALL OF US. IT'S SO IMPORTANT THAT WE DO THAT, AND THAT WE MOVE AWAY FROM THIS CURRENT POLITICAL ENVIRONMENT. LASTLY, I WOULD JUST LIKE TO KNOW WHAT WE'RE DOING TO PREPARE FOR A NEW FIRST WARD CITY COMMISSIONER. ALICIA'S AMAZING, BUT SHE CAN'T DO IT ALL ON HER OWN. ARE WE TALKING TO THE CANDIDATES BECAUSE ONE OF THE TWO ARE GOING TO WIN? ARE WE BRINGING THEM IN? ARE WE SETTING THEM UP TO WIN? HOW IS THAT GOING? I WOULD LIKE TO KNOW. THANK YOU. HI, MY NAME IS ALEX. I'M A VOLUNTEER WITH GRAND RAPIDS RAPID RESPONSE TO ICE AND OUR RESIDENT. ALTHOUGH I'M SURE THE COPS KNOW I LIVE AT THIS POINT, I'M GETTING PRETTY TIRED OF COMING HERE MONTH AFTER MONTH. WE'VE TOLD YOU FOR A LONG TIME. IF YOU DIDN'T ACT TO HELP US LIMIT ICE VIOLENCE, THE TRAGEDY WOULD HAPPEN. NOT THAT EVERY SINGLE KIDNAPING ISN'T TRAGIC. SOMEONE DIED. SINCE THEN, ONLY ONE OF YOU HAS DONE ANYTHING TO LIMIT YOUR COMPLICITY. I WANT TO HOLD UP COMMISSIONER KILGORE'S SUPPORT OF THE PRIVACY, SAFETY AND DIGNITY FOR ALL ORDINANCE AS THE MINIMUM NEEDED. OUT OF ALL OF YOU. THE REST OF YOU HAVE ACTED SINCE MARIO'S DEATH.

AND EARLIER THIS MONTH, GRPD DIRECTLY PROTECTED ICE AS THEY TRANSPORTED MEMBERS OF HIS FAMILY TO THE DETENTION CENTER IN BALDWIN. AND DESPITE THE MISINFORMATION, WE KNOW IT WAS THEM BECAUSE WE DIRECTLY TALKED TO THE FAMILY ON AN ALMOST DAILY BASIS. THEY CALLED US.

THE ORDINANCE HAS CONCRETE LANGUAGE THAT WOULD STOP THIS EXACT THING FROM HAPPENING.

LIKE I SAID, THE LAST TIME I WAS UP HERE, WE DON'T EXPECT YOU TO RESIST ICE WITH THE SAME TACTICS WE DO, BUT RIGHT NOW, YOU'RE ACTIVELY COMPLICIT IN MAKING OUR WORK HARDER. I ALSO

[02:40:05]

THEY ALSO PROTECTED THEIR OWN HEADQUARTERS DURING NO KINS. IN A SIMILAR FASHION, NO ONE WAS EVEN TRYING TO WALK THERE, BUT THEY WERE SO SCARED OF THE. THAT THE COMMUNITY IS SICK AND TIRED OF ICE THAT APPARENTLY THEY PREEMPTIVELY BLOCKED SIDEWALKS. NOW THAT WE PAY FOR.

YOU KNOW, I DON'T EXPECT THEM TO TO UNDERSTAND THE LAW BECAUSE I'VE YET TO MEET ANYONE FROM GRPD THAT CLEARLY WASN'T A C STUDENT OR BELOW. BUT YOU GUYS, DO YOU KNOW, HONESTLY, YOU ALL SHOULD BE CONDEMNING THAT TO. BECAUSE CLEARLY ILLEGAL. BUT MORE IMPORTANTLY, WHEN WILL YOU STOP BEING COMPLICIT WITH ICE AND PASS THIS ORDINANCE? EVERY EVERY SINGLE DAY THERE'S A DELAY. BLOOD IS ON YOUR HANDS. HI, MY NAME IS BRIAN. I LIVE IN THE FIRST WARD. I LIVED IN GRAND RAPIDS MY ENTIRE LIFE. I THINK WHAT FRUSTRATES ME THE MOST ABOUT THIS IS THERE'S A REFUSAL TO FULLY LISTEN TO YOUR COMMUNITY, THE COMMUNITY THAT DRIVES TO WORK EVERY DAY ON THE SAME ROADS THAT YOU DO, THE COMMUNITY THAT WANTS A SAFE AND SECURE FUTURE FOR THEIR CHILDREN, JUST LIKE YOU DO. THE COMMUNITY THAT GOES TO THE SAME STORES, THE SAME SCHOOLS, THE SAME PARKS, THE SAME CHURCHES AS YOU. THE COMMUNITY THAT IS AT RISK IS YOUR COMMUNITY, YOUR CONSTITUENTS, YOUR NEIGHBORS, AND THIS COMMUNITY. YOUR COMMUNITY IS ASKING CLEARLY FOR WHAT THEY WANT AND NEED. AND ARE YOU LISTENING? YOU ARE CLAIMING THAT YOU CARE AND THAT YOU HAVE THE STEPS RIGHT IN FRONT OF YOU TO TAKE ACTION AND STAND UP FOR YOUR NEIGHBORS AND YOUR COMMUNITY, BUT ARE CHOOSING TO MAKE EXCUSES AND DO NOTHING. WE KNOW YOU DON'T HAVE THE AUTHORITY TO STOP WHAT ICE IS DOING, BUT YOU DO HAVE THE ABILITY TO STOP GRPD FROM COLLABORATING WITH ICE IN ANY WAY, INCLUDING DETAINING INDIVIDUALS BASED ON CIVIL IMMIGRATION WARRANTS. YOU DO HAVE THE POWER TO PASS POLICIES THAT BAN. 287 G AGREEMENTS FROM BEING ENTERED INTO IN THE FUTURE. YOU DO HAVE THE POWER TO PASS POLICIES THAT OPPOSE THE ESTABLISHMENT OF DETENTION CENTERS IN CITY LIMITS, AND DETER THAT FROM BEING A POSSIBILITY IN THE FUTURE. YOU DO HAVE THE POWER TO PASS POLICIES THAT PREVENT THE CITY FROM ENTERING INTO AGREEMENTS WITH ENTITIES THAT HAVE CURRENT CONTRACTS WITH ICE. YOU DO HAVE THE POWER TO END FOX SURVEILLANCE IN OUR CITY, AND YOU DO HAVE THE POWER TO PASS THE PRIVACY AND SAFETY FOR ALL ORDINANCE. YOU WORK FOR US. YOU WORK FOR THIS COMMUNITY, AND YOUR COMMUNITY IS ASKING YOU TO PASS POLICIES THAT PROTECT ALL OF US. WHEN ALL IS SAID AND DONE, WILL YOU CHOOSE TO DO NOTHING IN THE FACE OF INJUSTICE? OR WILL YOU DO YOUR JOB, PROTECT YOUR COMMUNITY AND STAND FOR SOMETHING? MY NAME IS JEFF. I WANT TO TALK ABOUT THE ONGOING GRPD COLLABORATION WITH ICE. ROUGHLY TWO WEEKS AGO, AFTER THE DEATH OF MARIO DAVID CORONADO JUAREZ, SEVERAL OF MARIO'S COUSINS WERE ABDUCTED BY ICE AND BROUGHT TO 517 OTTAWA OFFICE. MARIO'S FAMILY MEMBERS HAD CONTACTED COSECHA, WHICH LED TO NUMEROUS VOLUNTEERS SHOWING UP TO WITNESS WHAT WAS HAPPENING AT THE ICE OFFICE. AFTER ABOUT AN HOUR OF MONITORING ICE ACTIVITY, THE GEO GROUP VAN THAT COMES DAILY TO TRANSPORT IMMIGRANTS WHO HAD BEEN ABDUCTED BY ICE TO THE NORTH LAKE FACILITY IN BALDWIN, HAD JUST ARRIVED. AS SOON AS THE VAN ARRIVED, SEVERAL ACTIVISTS, INCLUDING MYSELF, STOOD IN FRONT OF THE GIOVANNI GROUP GEO GROUP VAN AND PREVENTED IT FROM GOING INTO THE 517 OTTAWA ICE OFFICE GARAGE, WHERE IMMIGRANTS ARE HELD UNTIL THE VAN COMES. THOSE OF US WHO STOOD IN FRONT OF THE GEO GROUP VAN WERE THEN. WERE THERE LESS THAN 30S WHEN 5 TO 6 GRPD CRUISERS SHOWED UP ON THE SCENE. THIS MEANS THAT ICE CALLED THEM BEFORE WE STOOD IN FRONT OF THE VAN, WHICH ALSO MEANS THE GRPD WAS LIKELY STAGING SOMEWHERE NEAR THE ICE OFFICE. AGAIN, A FORM OF COLLABORATION. THE GRPD OFFICERS TOLD US TO MOVE OUT OF THE WAY AND WE REFUSED. AND I PERSONALLY REFUSED FOR TWO REASONS. FIRST, BETWEEN 1988 AND 2006, I PARTICIPATED IN 13 SOLIDARITY TRIPS IN GUATEMALA, DOING ACCOMPANIMENT WORK THROUGH A GROUP CALLED PEACE BRIGADES INTERNATIONAL, WHERE WE ACCOMPANIED GUATEMALANS BEING THREATENED BY THEIR OWN MILITARY. WHAT GUATEMALANS OFTEN REFERRED TO AS DEATH

[02:45:02]

GET RID OF THE FLOCK CAMERAS. I STILL SEE THEM ALL OVER KALAMAZOO, ALL OVER DIVISION.

WE KNOW THAT ICE USES THEM TO HARASS WOMEN, TO HARASS IMMIGRANTS, WHETHER THEY'RE LIKE WHETHER THEY GOT PAPERS OR NOT, WHETHER THEY COME HERE OR NOT. WE SHOULD NOT TREAT THEM LIKE SUBHUMAN ANIMALS. LIKE PEOPLE ARE PEOPLE. WHAT IS WRONG WITH US? LIKE YOU GOT LIKE ICE AGENTS AND LIKE, WE KNOW THEY'RE COOPERATING WITH GRPD. SO WHENEVER LE GRAND IS SAYING LIKE, THEY'RE NOT, WE KNOW IT'S NOT TRUE. WE DON'T BUY IT. LIKE, COME ON. AND ON TOP OF THAT, LIKE, HOW ARE WE SUPPOSED TO HOLD THESE PEOPLE ACCOUNTABLE? I HEARD THAT LIKE IN LIKE MINNESOTA, THEY, THEY COMPLETELY ELIMINATED MOST OF LIKE THE WORKFORCE FOR THE, LIKE THE IMMIGRATION DETENTION OMBUDSMAN, WHICH IS SUPPOSED TO BE LIKE THE LIKE DEPARTMENT WHERE YOU HOLD LIKE FILE COMPLAINTS AGAINST ICE. THEY WENT FROM HUNDREDS OF EMPLOYEES TO FIVE PEOPLE, FIVE PEOPLE. AND YOU GOT LIKE THE DN 15, LIKE JUST 15 LABOR ORGANIZERS BEING DETAINED AND ARRESTED FOR, YOU KNOW, NOT EVEN DOING ANYTHING ILLEGAL. THEY ORGANIZED A PROTEST, A LABOR ACTION, STRIKE ACTION TYPE OF THING. AND IT WAS SUCCESSFUL.

AND THE TRUMP ADMINISTRATION GOT REAL OFF ABOUT THAT. AND NOW THEY'RE JUST TAKING OUT THEIR REVENGE ON THESE PROTESTERS. AND THAT'S EVEN LIKE HAPPENING HERE IN MICHIGAN WITH THE MICHIGAN EIGHT, WITH THE PEOPLE IN YPSILANTI, LIKE GETTING ARRESTED AND CALLED TERRORISTS AND ANTI-SEMITES JUST BECAUSE THEY OPPOSE GENOCIDE, LIKE ALL OF THAT STUFF THAT HAPPENED IN PRAIRIE LAND IN TEXAS, THE STUFF THAT HAPPENED IN MINNESOTA, PEOPLE GETTING ARRESTED FOR THE FIRST AMENDMENT, RIGHT? LIKE THAT'S COME HOME TO MICHIGAN AND YOU GOT PEOPLE FROM COAST, LIKE GETTING ARRESTED FOR PROTESTING, LIKE, COME ON, LIKE, LIKE THE POLICE, THE TRUMP ADMINISTRATION, THEY'RE VIOLATING THE BILL OF RIGHTS.

THEY'RE VIOLATING THE CONSTITUTION. WE'RE NOT BREAKING THE LAW. AND WHEN I SAY GET RID OF THE FLOCK CAMERAS, I'M NOT SAYING REPLACE THEM WITH AXON CAMERAS BECAUSE THE AXON, LIKE I'M GETTING RID OF ALL THE ALPR CAMERAS BECAUSE WE KNOW AXON IS LIKE, LIKE TRUMP OWNS A STAKE IN THAT. AXON OWNS CARBINE, WHICH IS LIKE AN ISRAELI LIKE SURVEILLANCE COMPANY THAT WAS LITERALLY FUNDED AND CO-FOUNDED BY JEFFREY EPSTEIN. JEFFREY EPSTEIN, I'M NOT JOKING. AND PETER THIEL ALSO HELPED FUND THAT. WHO WANTS TO TAKE AWAY WOMEN'S RIGHT TO VOTE? I JUST WANT TO POINT THAT OUT AND IS IN CAHOOTS WITH LIKE, ALEX KARP WITH LIKE, PALANTIR. DEFEND THE MX 15 AND THE MICHIGAN EIGHT. HI, I'M JOHN. I'M A RESIDENT OF GRAND RAPIDS. I'M HERE TO ADVOCATE FOR PRIVACY, SAFETY AND DIGNITY FOR ALL ORDINANCE.

[02:50:03]

I'M A RESIDENT FROM THE THIRD WARD, AND I'M HERE TO ASK YOU TO ADOPT THE SIX SANCTUARY POLICIES. I WORK WITH PEOPLE WHO ARE BARELY SURVIVING HORRIFIC TRAUMA, AND MODERN MEDICINE HAS SOME REALLY GREAT TOOLS FOR THAT. WE HAVE MEDICATIONS THAT CAN HELP MANAGE SYMPTOMS OF ANXIETY, DEPRESSION, PSYCHOSIS, AND ADDICTION. WE CAN TEACH SOME REALLY GREAT SKILLS, AND WE HAVE SOME WONDERFUL COMMUNITY RESOURCES. BUT PREVENTION IS THE BEST MEDICINE. BY ADOPTING THE SIX SANCTUARY POLICIES, YOU CAN PREVENT FUTURE ALCOHOLISM.

YOU CAN PREVENT FUTURE ANXIETY AND DEPRESSION. YOU CAN PREVENT FUTURE POST-TRAUMATIC STRESS DISORDER, AND YOU CAN PREVENT FUTURE SUICIDE ATTEMPTS. PLEASE. THAT'S AN INCREDIBLE POWER.

PLEASE USE IT. THANK YOU. GOOD EVENING COMMISSIONERS. MY NAME IS MATT. I LIVE IN THE THIRD WARD AND I STAND IN SOLIDARITY WITH COSECHA AND THEIR SIX SANCTUARY POLICY DEMANDS. I'M HERE, AS USUAL TO TALK ABOUT FLOCK CAMERAS. I'D LIKE TO SAY THANK YOU FIRST TO THE COMMISSIONERS WHO HAVE SAT DOWN AND MET WITH US OR CORRESPONDED WITH US. I APPRECIATE THE SERIOUSNESS AND THE TIME AND ATTENTION YOU'VE GIVEN TO THIS ISSUE. I'D ALSO LIKE TO ACKNOWLEDGE THAT I UNDERSTAND THE MECHANISMS OF GOVERNMENT ARE NOT ALWAYS ABLE TO KEEP UP WITH FAST MOVING TECHNOLOGY LIKE FLOCK, BUT I STILL FIND IT DIFFICULT TO UNDERSTAND WHY THERE'S SO MUCH NEED FOR DEBATE. STREET MOUNTED ALPR THAT CAPTURE EVERY LICENSE PLATE THAT DRIVES BY THEM, CRIMINAL OR NOT, ARE NOT SOME FRINGE LEFT OR EVEN A 5050 ISSUE. I POSTED ON SOCIAL MEDIA THIS WEEK ABOUT TAKING THE FLOCK CAMERAS OUT OF OUR CITY, AND I GOT SUPPORT FROM A STAUNCH BACK, THE BLUE THREE TIME TRUMP VOTER. THIS IS AN 80/20 ISSUE. YOU DON'T HAVE TO BE BRAVE. YOU DON'T HAVE TO GO OUT ON A LIMB. WE'VE SEEN HUNDREDS OF CITIES DITCH THESE FLOCK CAMERAS, INCLUDING DOZENS HERE IN MICHIGAN WITH NO POLITICAL BACKLASH, WITH NO DEMONSTRABLE JUMP IN CRIME RATE. THE ONLY PUSHBACK SEEMS TO COME DIRECTLY FROM THE POLICE. WHAT MAKES SENSE? THEY DON'T HAVE TO OBTAIN SEARCH WARRANTS. THEY DON'T HAVE TO DO AS MUCH LEGWORK. IT MAKES THEIR JOB EASY. BUT POLICING IS SUPPOSED TO BE HARD. THE CONSTITUTION SETS INTENTIONAL BARRIERS IN THE WAY OF POLICING. BURDEN OF PROOF. THE PRESUMPTION OF INNOCENCE, THE RIGHT TO BE SECURE IN PERSON AND EFFECTS.

BECAUSE POLICE ARE GIVEN UNGODLY AMOUNTS OF POWER IN OUR SOCIETY AND WITH THAT POWER IS SUPPOSED TO BECOME RESPONSIBILITY. MARIO. DAVID CORONADO JUAREZ IS DEAD. WE MAY NEVER KNOW IF FLOCK HAD A HAND IN ICE TARGETING HIM, BUT WE DO KNOW FOR SURE. FEDERAL AGENCIES

[02:55:04]

I HAVE PICTURES, COORDINATES. I HAVE A MAP. I'M WILLING TO SHARE THAT WITH ANYBODY.

EVERYBODY. I'VE ALREADY SHARED IT, EMAILED IT TO YOU, COMMISSIONER BELICHICK, BECAUSE IT'S, I THINK IN YOUR WARD KIND OF QUESTIONABLE. MY EMPLOYER, ADVANCED INTERIORS IS WILLING TO SPONSOR THE PROJECT. THEY'RE GOING TO PAY SOME OF THEIR MEN TO GO OUT THERE AND CLEAN UP SOME OF THE GARBAGE. I HAVE TALKED WITH OFFICIALS AT MDOT, KENT COUNTY WHO HAVE SIGNALED SUPPORT AND PARTICIPATION. REPUBLIC SERVICES IS WILLING TO PROVIDE A DUMPSTER. I'VE BEEN IN CONTACT WITH PEOPLE FROM THE GRAND RAPIDS PUBLIC MUSEUM WHO STORED THE PROPERTY AND SUPPORT THE GOAL, AND EVEN OFFICIALS FROM WYOMING AND GRANDVILLE HAVE GOTTEN AHOLD OF ME. BUT THE PROPERTY THAT I'M TRYING TO FOCUS ON IS OWNED BY GRAND RAPIDS. AND I'M GOING ON THREE WEEKS NOW OF TRYING TO TALK TO SOMEBODY AT GRAND RAPIDS, AND I HAVEN'T GOTTEN A CALL BACK.

I'VE TALKED TO 311 REPEATEDLY. THEY'RE VERY HELPFUL, BUT THAT'S AS FAR AS IT GOES. AND RESPECTFULLY, I'VE EMAILED YOU AS OF LAST WEEK, DIDN'T HEAR ANYTHING BACK. I SPOKE TO A REPRESENTATIVE OF YOUR OFFICE TODAY. I BELIEVE HER NAME IS SAMANTHA. SHE WAS VERY HELPFUL.

AND BETWEEN THAT CONVERSATION AND THIS, I HOPE TO HEAR BACK FROM THE CITY SO THAT WE CAN GET THE BALL ROLLING, GET THAT PROPERTY CLEANED UP BEFORE IT GETS TOO COLD. I'VE GOT A PLAN.

I'VE GOT MANPOWER, AND I'VE GOT INSTITUTIONAL SUPPORT TRYING TO GET THIS PROJECT ROLLING SO THAT WE CAN GET IT DONE ON FRIDAY THE 13TH. BUT THE CITY I NEED TO COORDINATE WITH THE MOST IS GRAND RAPIDS. LIKE I SAID, GOING ON WEEK THREE. HAVEN'T HEARD ANYTHING BACK.

I'M EAGER, I'M MOTIVATED, I'VE GOT SUPPORT. AND ALL I'M ASKING IS THAT SOMEONE HELPS ME TO COORDINATE, TO PICK UP THE GARBAGE THAT WE'RE GOING TO DRAG OUT OF THE WOODS. SO ACTUALLY, ALL I'M ASKING IS THAT SOMEBODY RETURNS OR RETURNS MY CALLS OR EMAILS.

THANK YOU. AND PLEASE CALL ME SO THAT WE CAN GET THIS PROJECT MOVING. I WROTE MY EMAIL DOWN THERE. DUSTIN BAUER. THANK YOU. HELLO. MY NAME IS RACHEL. I'M A RESIDENT OF THE SECOND WARD OF THE CITY. I WASN'T PLANNING ON SPEAKING TONIGHT. IT'S IMPOSSIBLE NOT TO HEARING EVERYTHING THAT'S HAPPENING IN OUR COMMUNITY. SEVERAL PEOPLE HAVE SPOKEN TONIGHT ABOUT WHAT NEEDS TO HAPPEN WITH COSECHA, AND I APPLAUD YOUR TIME FOR JUST A MINUTE. CAN YOU PULL THE MICROWAVE THERE? THANK YOU. THANK YOU. FIRST TIME SPEAKER. THANKS. I'M HERE TONIGHT TO VOICE SUPPORT FOR THE SANCTUARY CITIES WITH COSECHA. I'M ALSO HERE BECAUSE I'M CONCERNED THAT THOUGH MANY PEOPLE HAVE GIVEN NUMBERS THAT ARE ACCURATE, IT'S STILL NOT BEING CONNECTED TO THE HUMANITY OF WHAT'S AT STAKE HERE. I DIDN'T PREPARE A STATEMENT. PLEASE JUST BEAR WITH ME HERE. I WANT YOU TO PICTURE THE HOLIDAY SEASON THAT WE'RE ALL ABOUT TO ENTER.

PLEASE THINK ABOUT THE TABLES THAT YOU'RE LOOKING FORWARD TO SITTING AT WITH YOUR LOVED ONES.

PLEASE THINK ABOUT HOW MANY SEATS WILL BE EMPTY THIS SEASON BECAUSE OF GREED, BECAUSE OF ICE. MORE THAN JUST ICE, DAQUAN JOHNSON IS GONE BECAUSE OF GREED. FIVE DEPORTATIONS A DAY.

HOW MANY MORE SEATS ARE YOU WILLING TO LEAVE EMPTY UNTIL YOU'RE ALL SITTING AND CELEBRATING? WHAT BRINGS US ALL TOGETHER? FOOD, CULTURE, LOVE MORE THAN JUST PEOPLE ARE BEING LOST RIGHT NOW. FAMILIES ARE BEING TORN APART. THIS IS BECOMING A VERY DIFFICULT CITY FOR CHILDREN TO IMAGINE A FUTURE IN, WHO CAN PLAY FREELY UNDER A FLOCK CAMERA, WHO CAN FOCUS IF THEY DON'T KNOW HOW MANY FAMILY MEMBERS WILL BE AT HOME WHEN THEY GET BACK FROM SCHOOL. LEADERS IN THE AFFECTED COMMUNITIES HAVE BEEN TELLING YOU FOR YEARS EXACTLY WHAT TO DO. IT'S PAST TIME TO LISTEN. THANK YOU. HELLO, MY NAME IS PHYLLIS. I'M A RESIDENT OF WARD

[03:00:10]

IT'S POSSIBLE FOR US TO DO. WE'VE KNOWN THAT ICE IS ABLE TO GET THE DATA FROM FLOCK. WE'VE KNOWN THAT THE WHOLE TIME. WE CAN'T REALLY CONTROL THAT. IT'S A PRIVATE COMPANY. THEY CONTROL THE DATA. WE CAN SAY, OH, YOU YOU CAN'T SHARE IT WITH THEM, BUT THEY'RE THE COMPANY.

THEY'RE GOING TO DO WHAT THEY WANT TO ANYWAY. AND I SENT THE MONEY TO PAY THEM FOR IT. BUT IF WE DON'T HAVE THE CAMERAS, THEY DON'T HAVE THE DATA. I SUPPORT SANCTUARY CITY POLICIES.

I URGE YOU TO SUPPORT THEIR ORDINANCE, BECAUSE I FIRMLY BELIEVE EVERYONE SHOULD FEEL SAFE IN GRAND RAPIDS. THANK YOU. MY NAME IS SHARON SMITH. I LIVE RIGHT OFF OF CESAR CHAVEZ ON THE FIRST WARD. I'VE LIVED THERE FOR 32 YEARS. I COULD WALK TO THE VIGIL FOR MARIO A COUPLE WEEKS AGO. IN THE PAST WEEK SINCE HIS DEATH, I'VE BEEN THINKING MUCH MORE ABOUT MY PRIVILEGE AS A WHITE PERSON AND NOT BEING DRIVEN TO DEATH BY TERROR IN THE WAYS I'VE NOT EXPERIENCED DIRECT TERROR FROM OUR LAW ENFORCEMENT. IN CONTRAST, MANY OF US WHITE PEOPLE HAVE EXPERIENCED DISCRETION FROM THE POLICE. WHEN WE GET PULLED OVER FOR SPEEDING, A BROKEN TAIL, LIGHT OR HEADLIGHT, WE MIGHT BE LET OFF WITH A WARNING OR TRUSTED THAT WE HAVE AN APPOINTMENT TO REPAIR A BROKEN LIGHT. ONCE I FORGOT TO RENEW MY DRIVER'S LICENSE BEFORE A MAJOR HOLIDAY. WHEN I GOT PULLED OVER FOR GOING THROUGH A RED LIGHT DURING A BLIZZARD, HE SAID HE'D GIVE ME A TICKET THAT WOULDN'T ADVERSELY IMPACT MY AUTO INSURANCE RATES. MAYBE SOME OF YOU, AS CITY OFFICIALS, HAVE EXPERIENCED THE SAME TYPE OF DISCRETION, A CHOICE OF HOW THE POLICE IMPLEMENT THE LAW. I HAVE TWO POINTS RELATED TO THIS.

WHEN IT COMES TO NONVIOLENT TRAFFIC STOPS, GRPD HAS DISCRETION, A CHOICE ON HOW THEY RESPOND TO UNDOCUMENTED IMMIGRANTS. GRPD CAN CHOOSE TO GIVE A WARNING OR A MINOR TRAFFIC TICKET INSTEAD. A TRAFFIC STOP OFTEN RESULTS IN TOO MANY OF OUR NONVIOLENT NEIGHBORS BEING PUT IN THE KENT COUNTY JAIL, WHERE THE SHERIFF'S OFFICE THEN PUTS THEM ON A 48 HOUR ICE HOLD WHERE ICE CAN CHOOSE TO PICK THEM UP AND BRING THEM TO THE NORTH LAKE DETENTION CENTER IN BALDWIN. AND THIS OFTEN LEADS TO THEM BEING DEPORTED. WE'VE HEARD THE HORRORS OF DETENTION, BUT IT'S IMPORTANT TO NOTE THAT GRPD IS THE FIRST CONTACT THAT LEADS TO DETENTION AND FAMILY SEPARATION. MY SECOND POINT. OH, SO WE WANT YOU TO IMPLEMENT A POLICY THAT DOES NOT ALLOW A TRAFFIC STOP TO LEAD TO AN ARREST. MY SECOND POINT IS THAT WITH THEIR DISCRETION, GRPD CAN CHOOSE NOT TO RESPOND TO CALLS FROM THE ICE OR ICE OFFICES. THEY CAN CHOOSE NOT TO ESCORT GIOVANNI'S BRINGING OUR NEIGHBORS TO NORTH LAKE DETENTION CENTERS. THEY CAN CHOOSE NOT TO ARREST PEACEFUL, PEACEFUL PROTESTERS. IN SHORT, THEY CAN USE THEIR DISCRETION AND CHOOSE NOT TO COLLABORATE WITH ICE AS THEY HAVE NOT BEEN DOING THIS. WE WANT YOU TO IMPLEMENT A POLICY THAT PREVENTS GRPD FROM RESPONDING TO CALLS FROM ICE FOR ASSISTANCE. TRAFFIC ESCORTS, OR ESTABLISHING TRAFFIC PERIMETERS AROUND ICE

[03:05:02]

I'D LIKE TO JOIN MY VOICE IN THOSE DEMANDING THAT THE CITY OF GRAND RAPIDS CANCEL THE CONTRACT AND REMOVE CAMERAS FROM OUR CITY. THERE IS NO JUSTIFICATION FOR TRACKING THE MOVEMENTS OF PEOPLE WHO ARE NOT SUSPECTED OF A CRIME. THAT'S, LIKE, LITERALLY A VIOLATION OF THE CONSTITUTION. IF THE POLICE WANT TO TRACK MY MOVEMENTS, THEY CAN GET A WARRANT SIGNED BY A JUDGE AFTER PROVING THEY HAVE PROBABLE CAUSE. LIKE IT'S SUPPOSED TO HAPPEN. THE GRPD SHARES THE MOVEMENTS OF ITS RESIDENTS WITH OVER 1600 POLICE DEPARTMENTS ACROSS THE COUNTRY.

THIS IS CLEARLY UNSAFE. THERE HAVE BEEN MANY CASES OF POLICE MISUSING FLOCK DATA TO STALK THEIR EXES, AND WHO KNOWS WHAT. FLOCK ALSO HAS THE FINANCIAL INCENTIVE TO SELL THIS DATA TO AS MANY CUSTOMERS AS POSSIBLE. IT CANNOT BE TRUSTED TO STORE OR DISTRIBUTE THIS DATA SECURELY OR ETHICALLY. AS I HAVE MENTIONED, THESE ARE TECH BROS WHO WANT TO MAKE MONEY AND.

THERE. DAVE. SORRY, MY BRAIN IS. IT'S JUST REALLY ANXIETY INDUCING GUYS. EVERY TIME I GO OUTSIDE AND I LOOK AT THESE FLAT CAMERAS AND I THINK ABOUT WHO'S WATCHING ME THROUGH THAT.

WHO CAN GET MY DATA? IT JUST SORRY, JUST THINKING ABOUT IT GIVES ME A LITTLE ANXIETY. I DON'T WANT TO HAVE TO GO TO MEYERS AND SEE A FLAT CAMERA STARING AT ME LIKE I HAVEN'T DONE ANYTHING. WHY AM I BEING TREATED LIKE I'M A CRIMINAL? AND I AM PRIVILEGED IN THIS COUNTRY TO HAVE A CITIZENSHIP FOR PEOPLE WHO ARE JUST HERE WITH A PAPERWORK VIOLATION.

THAT'S IT. THE FACT THAT THESE CAMERAS ARE BEING USED AND HAVE BEEN PROVEN TO BE USED TO. IT'S JUST IT'S GESTAPO. I DON'T KNOW HOW ELSE TO CALL IT. THERE HAVE BEEN WORLD WAR TWO PEOPLE WHO HAVE BEEN RAISED BY WORLD WAR TWO VETERANS WHO HAVE CALLED THIS OUT. THIS IS EXACTLY THE GESTAPO. SO IF YOU'RE COLLABORATING WITH THEM, IF YOU'RE ALLOWING THIS TOOL TO BE USED BY THE HANDS OF SOMEONE WHO IS, YOU KNOW, CONTINUING THE FASCISM IN THIS COUNTRY,

[03:10:05]

I'M NOT GOING TO REPEAT WHAT? WHAT THE WHAT? THE SPEAKERS BEFORE ME SAID.

ALL I'M HERE FOR IS THIS. EARLY VOTING. IS NOW COMMENCE. YOU DON'T WANT TO VOTE NEXT TUESDAY.

YOU STILL HAVE TIME TO VOTE NOW. AGAIN. I WOULD LIKE TO SEE MINIMUM 70% TURNOUT. 55%. 60%.

IT'S NOT GOING TO CUT IT. EXERCISE THE RIGHT TO VOTE. GET OUT THERE AND A MAN. AND YOU HAVE. YOU HAVE LOVED ONES AND FRIENDS. FORCED THEM TO VOTE. IF NOT, YOU CUT THEM OFF. NOW IT'S NOT THE TIME TO SIT ON THE COUCH AND NOT AND NOT VOTE. BECAUSE THE OTHER SIDE IS GOING TO DICTATE YOUR LIFE. WE WANT SOME HIGH JINKS AND SOME BULLCRAP LIKE THE ORANGE PHONE PULLED IN PORT HURON, WAVING NICKI MINAJ OUT LIKE SHE'S A STREET CORNER PROSTITUTE. AND JOHN JAMES, AS A BLACK MAN, SHOULD BE ASHAMED OF HIMSELF FOR NOT CHECKING THEM WHILE HE'S DOING IT. BUT THEN AGAIN, HE INVITED A RACIST HAS BEEN ROCK AND ROLLER WHO WROTE SONGS ABOUT BANGING UNDERAGE GIRLS. SO WE. AND HE'S A MAGA WITH AN ANTI-BLACK AGENDA. BUT THIS IS WHAT HAPPENS WHEN. YOU DON'T VOTE. THAT'S WHAT'S GOING TO HAPPEN. SO I SUGGEST YOU VOTE EARLY AND YOU VOTE EARLY AND GET YOUR PEOPLE TO VOTE, BECAUSE NOW IS NOT THE TIME TO SIT AROUND. AND FIND OUT WHAT'S GOING TO HAPPEN AFTER TUESDAY. BECAUSE IF YOU DON'T, WHAT I HEARD BEFORE IS GOING TO CONTINUE. SO GET OUT THERE AND VOTE BEFORE IT'S TOO LATE.

REVENGE 2026. HELLO, HELLO. MY NAME IS SHANNON TANIS. IT'S BEEN A MINUTE SINCE I'VE BEEN UP HERE TO SPEAK, BUT I WAS PULLED OVER BY THE GRAND RAPIDS POLICE DEPARTMENT BETWEEN KALAMAZOO AND EASTERN ON 28TH STREET, WHICH IS A HIGHWAY TRUNK LINE. I HAD SOMEONE THAT I KNOW THAT WORKS FOR MDOT PULL THE SURVEY, AND THE SPEED ORDER SEEMS TO BE THAT THE SPEED LIMIT HASN'T BEEN CHANGED SINCE 1983, AND THERE HAS BEEN A SPEED ORDER IN PLACE SINCE 2011.

I'M SPEAKING WITH AL, THE PRESIDENT, COUNTY COMMISSIONER TOMORROW REGARDING THIS AND SOME OTHER MATTERS. BUT WE'RE GOING TO PULL AN AUDIT BECAUSE GUESS WHAT? WHEN I ASKED THE HOUSE FISCAL COMMITTEE AGENCY FOR THE REPORT ON TRAFFIC CITATION REVENUE FOR THIS YEAR, THE RETIREMENT FROM FOR THE JUDGES, THEY GET LIKE 24%, WHICH IS LIKE $9.6 MILLION FROM TRAFFIC CITATION REVENUE. SO YOU CAN IMAGINE THE NUMBERS THAT ARE GOING TO BE

[03:15:07]

[COMMENTS BY COMMISSIONERS]

OH. NOT NOTHING. THANK YOU. WELL, AS OFTEN HAPPENS, MANY PEOPLE WHO SPENT THEIR TIME HERE TONIGHT ARE NO LONGER HERE, SO I HOPE THEY DO. WATCH THE VIDEO. BECAUSE I FEEL LIKE THERE'S THERE'S STILL STUFF TO BE SAID. I WOULD LIKE TO JUST REITERATE THAT THE THE WORK THAT WE DID HERE TODAY WITH THE ORDINANCE, EVEN THE MEDIA CAMERAS ARE GONE. BUT THIS THIS WAS NOT THIS WAS AN EXAMPLE, IN MY OPINION, OF GOOD GOVERNANCE, WHICH I KNOW WE WANT TO ELECT PEOPLE TO REPRESENT US AND TO BE STRONG ON ISSUES AND STAND UP FOR SOCIAL RIGHTS AND A LOT OF OTHER THINGS. BUT SOMETIMES THE WORK OF BEING IN THIS ROLE IS ALSO TO BE MAKING SURE AND LOOKING OUT FOR. PARAMETERS THAT WE DON'T NECESSARILY WE INHERITED. LIKE I WASN'T ON THE DAIS IN 2023 WHEN THESE RULES WERE MADE, BUT THE ORDINANCE NEEDS TO BE UPDATED BECAUSE WE NEED TO DO WHAT'S RIGHT TO TAKE CARE OF BUSINESS. AND A LOT OF WHAT WE DO, ALL OF WHAT WE DO ON THIS DAIS IS TECHNICALLY BUSINESS, THE BUSINESS OF CITY. SO THIS IS TO ME, A GOOD EXAMPLE OF THE DIFFICULT DECISIONS THAT HAVE TO BE MADE TO MAKE GOOD GOVERNANCE, WHICH I THINK IS WHAT WE REALLY WANT OUT OF OUR ELECTED OFFICIALS. IN ADDITION TO BEING STRONG VOICES AND REPRESENTING US. SO SOMETIMES THINGS THAT WE HAVE TO DO ARE NOT NECESSARILY DIRECTLY RELATED TO AN ISSUE OR SOMETHING THAT IS A BIGGER CONVERSATION. THAT DOES NOT MEAN THE BIGGER CONVERSATION SHOULDN'T BE HAPPENING. AND I THINK IT IS HAPPENING. I THINK WE'RE HEARING IT ON THE ICE ISSUE OVER AND OVER AGAIN, AND I DON'T THINK I NEED TO APOLOGIZE OR DECLARE WHERE I'VE BEEN, BUT I DEEPLY GRIEVE WITH THE MARIO FAMILY. AND FOR ANYONE WHO WONDERS, YOU KNOW, I WAS AT A SCHOOL EVENT WITH MY CHILD WHO WAS DOING A PRESENTATION AT THE ZOO SCHOOL INSIDE THE ZOO ON HER TURKEY VULTURE PRESENTATION. SO, YOU KNOW, SOMETIMES WE'RE CALLED AWAY TO DO THINGS THAT ARE ALSO IMPORTANT. I DON'T KNOW THAT IT NEEDS TO BE SAID, BUT IT SOUNDS LIKE IT NEEDS TO BE SAID. SO HEY, GRPD, DON'T COLLABORATE WITH ICE, OKAY? I KNOW YOU HAVE A POLICY THAT SAYS THAT, ALL RIGHT, ALREADY TO THE LARGE EXTENT. AND SASHA AND FRIENDS, MATT, ALEX, A BUNCH OF OTHER PEOPLE THAT I CAN NAME IF I WENT THROUGH MY NOTES. IF YOU WANT TO CALL US A SANCTUARY CITY, I GUESS WE CAN'T STOP YOU BECAUSE ESSENTIALLY WE'VE SAID IT OVER AND OVER AGAIN. WE'RE 99% THAT ANYWAY, AND IT'S BEEN VERY WELL EXPLAINED. IF YOU WOULD LISTEN, I THINK I'VE BEEN TOLD WE DON'T LISTEN. SO I WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT I LET YOU ALL KNOW WE'VE BEEN LISTENING. I'VE BEEN LISTENING. I HOPE YOU'RE LISTENING BECAUSE I CAN'T TELL. I CAN'T SEE YOUR FACES. YOU'VE GONE. BUT GO AHEAD. FEEL LIKE CALLING US A SANCTUARY CITY? I'M NOT THE MAYOR. GO AHEAD. I SAY DO IT. BUT I DON'T THINK IT MATTERS BECAUSE WE HAVE THESE RULES IN PLACE. SINCE 2017 AND 2019. READ THEM. TELL US WHAT'S WRONG. WE'LL BE GLAD TO LOOK AT FIXING THEM THEN. IF WE WANT TO TALK ABOUT POLICIES, ABOUT SAFETY, PRIVACY AND ALL THAT OTHER STUFF, I'M GOING TO REMIND YOU THAT'S NOT POLICY.

[03:20:04]

WE'LL FIGURE IT OUT WITH ACLU. WHAT'S GOING ON. AGAIN, ALL OF THAT IS GOOD GOVERNANCE. THINGS TAKE TIME. IF I LOOKED IN MY POCKETS RIGHT NOW, THEY WOULD BE EMPTY GUYS. SO IF I'M A CORPORATIST, LET ME KNOW WHAT CORPORATION I SHOULD START. IT IS A BIGGER CONVERSATION CONSTANTLY ON FLOCK AT THE MICHIGAN MUNICIPAL LEAGUE CONFERENCE IN TRAVERSE CITY A COUPLE WEEKS AGO. YES. I HAVE NOT BEEN FULLY PRESENT BECAUSE I'VE BEEN OUT OF TOWN AND A BUNCH OF OTHER THINGS. SORRY I DIDN'T REPLY A COUPLE OF EMAILS. I WILL WORK ON IT, I PROMISE.

BUT THERE WAS A WHOLE AD HOC CONVERSATION WITH MULTIPLE CITIES AND LEADERS THAT WAS ASKED TO BE HAD BY THE PEOPLE ATTENDING, AND I WAS IN THE ROOM ON BEHALF OF ANYONE WHO WANTED TO BE THERE, AND I. I AM VERY GRATEFUL THAT I WAS, BECAUSE IT WAS EARLY IN THE MORNING AND I WAS THE ONLY GRAND RAPIDS PERSON IN THE ROOM. AND I SHARED OUR STORY OF WHAT WE'RE DEALING WITH. I SHARED YOUR STORIES AND I SHARED THE STORIES THAT WERE OF WHAT WE'RE SAYING AND TALKING ABOUT HERE BEHIND THE DAIS. AND IT TURNS OUT THERE'S A LOT OF CITIES IN MICHIGAN WHO DON'T HAVE THIS FIGURED OUT. IT TURNS OUT THAT THERE IS ALSO, AS WE DISCUSSED IN OUR LEGISLATIVE COMMITTEE TODAY, A LOT OF WORK AT THE STATE LEVEL THAT STILL IS IN PROGRESS. THIS CAN'T BE A PATCHWORK THING. IT REALLY SHOULD BE REGULATED AT THE STATE LEVEL AND AT THE IDEAL LEVEL. WE ALSO NEED FEDERAL REGULATION. WE REALLY DO NEED THE ELECTIONS TO MATTER SO WE CAN ACTUALLY GET THROUGH AND GET SOME WORK DONE. WE CAN'T DO THAT IF WE DON'T HAVE PEOPLE WORKING ON IT. AGAIN, GOOD GOVERNANCE. SO YEAH, I'M IN A MOOD. I ALSO HAVE A QUESTION FOR TANNER. WHAT DID YOU USE TO TAKE THESE PICTURES? BECAUSE YOU GOT A CAR FLOATING HALFWAY IN THE MIDDLE WITH NO BACK END AND NO TIRES. SO PLEASE TELL ME THIS IS NOT AI. AND THAT WAS JUST SOME WEIRD EFFECT OF PANORAMA OR SOMETHING. BUT YEAH, I HAVE A LOT ON MY PLATE. YOU ALL HAVE A LOT ON PLATE. WE'VE GOT SEVEN DAYS TILL THE ELECTION. GO VOTE. GET ME AN APPOINTMENT. I'M SORRY, DID I SAY APPOINTMENT? YEAH, I PROBABLY SHOULD HAVE AN APPOINTMENT, BUT VOTE. WE NEED SOMEONE IN THE FIRST WARD. WE NEED SOMEONE IN THE SECOND WARD. WE'VE GOT PEOPLE RUNNING FOR THAT AND ALL OVER THE PLACE.

AND I DID CALL THIS MORNING AT THE CITY MEETING OF APPOINTMENTS TO TO ASK IF WE WOULD BE CONSIDERING AN APPOINTMENT OR A SPECIAL SOMETHING AFTERWARDS, BECAUSE I DO THINK THAT OUR WORD NEEDS TO BE REPRESENTED, AND IT WOULD BE GREAT IF WE COULD REVISIT THAT.

AND I WOULD CALL UPON OUR, OUR CONVERSATIONALISTS HERE AT THE DAIS TO HAVE THAT CONVERSATION ABOUT WHOEVER WINS, REGARDLESS OF WHO WINS THE WARD, TO BE IMMEDIATELY PUT IN THEIR SEAT SO THEY CAN START DOING THE WORK. BECAUSE, AGAIN, GOOD GOVERNANCE. I REALLY WANT EVERYONE TO HAVE A HAPPY HALLOWEEN. I'M HOPING THAT THAT'S FUN. I HOPE IT'S MORE TRICKS AND NOT TOO MANY BAD ONES, BUT GOOD TREATS. IF YOU WANT TO COME HAVE SOME TRICKS AND TREATS WITH ME. I'M GOING TO BE ON THURSDAY AT LINCOLN PARK WITH EVERYBODY AND THERE'S SUPPOSED TO BE A THOUSAND KIDS. I DON'T HAVE MONEY FOR CANDY GUYS, SO I BOUGHT 3000 STICKERS.

I HOPE THEY'RE NOT GOING TO BE DISAPPOINTED, BUT I REALLY THINK THAT THE DENTISTS WILL LOVE THAT THEY'RE NOT GETTING TEETH ROTTED OUT. BUT COME, I'M GOING TO BE DRESSED UP, FIND OUT WHO I AM. MAYBE YOU CAN PUT IT ON SOCIAL MEDIA AND WE'LL PLAY A GAME. HAPPY HALLOWEEN.

ALL RIGHT. OH, I LOST HALF MY MICROPHONE. HERE. YOU CAN PUT MINE. ALL. ALL RIGHT. GOOD EVENING. IT'S IT'S 1030 AT NIGHT. I'M SORRY. WE'RE ALL A LITTLE TIRED NOW. THANK YOU ALL FOR COMING. AS ALWAYS. I JUST WANT TO SPEAK ON A FEW THINGS. ONE, JUST TO KEEP IT REALLY QUICK. WE'VE BEEN HERE LONG ENOUGH. I JUST WANT TO REMIND FOR FOLKS WHO DO WANT TO COME AND ENGAGE AND STAY INFORMED AND CONNECTED. TOMORROW AT 6:30 P.M. VIA ZOOM IS MY MONTHLY BRIEFING. THIS IS WHERE I TAKE EVERYTHING THAT'S HAPPENED FOR THE LAST MONTH. WHAT'S MOVING IN CITY HALL? WHAT BARRIERS ARE WE RUNNING INTO? WHAT PROGRESS IS BEING MADE ON THE ISSUES THAT ARE MAKING HEADLINES? WHAT HEADLINES ARE FRAMING THE ISSUES WRONGLY, ADDRESS ALL THOSE THINGS IN 30 MINUTES AND THEN STICK ONLINE TO HEAR FROM YOU. SO I INVITE YOU ALL TO ATTEND THAT PURDUE.COM/EVENTS. YOU CAN RSVP, YOU'LL GET SO YOU CAN GET THE LINK AND FOLLOW UP INFORMATION. TOMORROW I WILL BE SHARING SOME ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT RESULTS. I'LL

[03:25:07]

SO EARLY VOTING HAS BEEN OPEN FOR FOR A WEEK. AND IF YOU DON'T WANT TO GO STAND IN LINES, GO TO NEW HOPE BAPTIST CHURCH. 130, DELAWARE. YOU'LL GET IN AND GET OUT REALLY QUICKLY. SO IT'S BEEN THERE'S BEEN ACTIVITY THERE, BUT IT'S RIGHT OFF THE SILVER LINE. SO HEAD OUT THERE AND YOU'LL HAVE A GREAT VOTING EXPERIENCE OVER THE NEXT FEW DAYS ALSO. BUT WE HAVE THREE OTHER LOCATIONS AT OTTAWA HILLS HIGH SCHOOL, SAINT PETER AND PAUL PARISH SCHOOL AND GR UNIVERSITY. YOU DON'T HAVE TO GO, YOU KNOW, IT'S NOT YOUR LOCAL AREA THAT YOU HAVE TO GO.

YOU CAN GO TO ANY OF THE THE FOUR AND GO VOTE. SO WE'VE HAD SIX AS OF 7:00 THIS TONIGHT, 6004 6047 VOTERS HAVE VOTED EARLY AND 19,535 ABSENTEE BALLOTS HAVE BEEN RETURNED. SO THAT'S WHERE WE'RE AT ABOUT 16. WE'RE ABOUT 16% TURNOUT JUST BETWEEN THOSE TWO THINGS. AND SO WE WE STARTED EARLY TABULATION OF ABSENTEE BALLOTS YESTERDAY. WE. SO WE'VE TABULATED ALMOST 15,000 OF THOSE 19,000 BALLOTS RETURNED ALREADY. SO THANK YOU, LEGISLATURE, FOR ONE OF MY CLERK WISHES FOR EARLY TABULATION OF ABSENTEE BALLOTS.

IF WE HAD THAT IN 2020, I MIGHT STILL HAVE A LITTLE BIT OF HAIR. MAYBE. BUT ANYWAY, THINGS ARE GOING REALLY WELL. AND THEN, YOU KNOW, THE TALK IS THERE'S BEEN TALK ABOUT DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE, CITY OF GRAND RAPIDS DID GET A LETTER FROM THE DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE. WE'RE ONE OF SEVEN CITIES IN THE STATE OF MICHIGAN THAT RECEIVED THAT. THE ATTORNEY'S OFFICE.

AND I SAID, HAD A MEETING THIS WEEK WITH THE THE DIRECTOR WHO IS IN CHARGE OF THAT THAT PROGRAM WITH THE CIVIL RIGHTS DIVISION. THEY'VE BEEN HERE OVER THE YEARS. AND SO WE HAD A.

THEY'RE SUPPOSED TO GIVE ME A LIST BY THE END OF THE WEEK OF ABOUT HOW MANY PEOPLE THEY EXPECT TO HAVE IN GRAND RAPIDS. SO IT WAS A GOOD DIALOG TO KIND OF KNOW WHAT'S GOING ON BETWEEN THEM. THEY UNDERSTAND, THEY UNDERSTAND THEIR ROLE. AND SO WE'LL BE WE'LL BE WATCHING THAT CLOSELY. SO KNOW THAT WE'RE AWARE OF IT. AND IT'S BEEN. AND SO IT'S BEEN IT'S BEEN A GOOD PROCESS. MAKE SURE YOU GET OUT AND VOTE. MAKE SURE YOU, IF YOU HAVE YOUR ABSENTEE BALLOT, PLEASE RETURN IT. IT DOES ADD STRESS AND STUFF ON THE ON THE ELECTION INSPECTORS, IF YOU COME BACK, IF YOU COME TO VOTE WITHOUT THAT ABSENTEE BALLOT, BECAUSE THEN WE HAVE TO GO THROUGH A PROCESS, IT'S FINE. BUT JUST IF WE'VE GIVEN YOU THE TOOL, WE'VE GIVEN YOU AN ABSENTEE BALLOT, EITHER RETURN IT IN ONE OF OUR SECURE DROP BOXES, WE DROP, WE WE EMPTY THEM EVERY SINGLE DAY. AND THEN ALSO, YOU CAN ALSO PUT THAT ABSENTEE BALLOT THROUGH A TABULATOR AT THE EARLY VOTING SITE OR ON ELECTION DAY. SO VOTERS HAVE A LOT OF OPTIONS.

AND FINALLY, ONE LAST THING IS IF YOU'RE NOT REGISTERED TO VOTE YET, YOU CAN VOTE REGISTER TO VOTE UNTIL 8:00 ON ELECTION NIGHT. SO ON MONDAY, NOVEMBER 2ND AND NOVEMBER 3RD, THE GRAND RAPIDS CITY CLERK'S OFFICE IS AN EXHIBIT HALL A OF DEVOS PLACE. JUST BECAUSE OF THE THE TRAFFIC THAT WE GET THIS. THIS BUILDING IS NOT CONDUCIVE FOR LONG LINES AND CROWDS. SO WE.

WE WILL BE AT DEVOS PLACE ON NOVEMBER 2ND AND NOVEMBER 3RD. THAT'S THE CLERK'S OFFICE. WE WILL VALIDATE PARKING. WHETHER YOU PARKED DOWNSTAIRS HERE OR UNDER DEVOS PLACE. I THINK THAT'S IT. CITY ATTORNEY, CITY MANAGER. OKAY. WELL, I'M GOING TO BE BRIEF ON A LOT OF TOPICS.

SO FIRST OF ALL. YEAH, EXACTLY. SEE IF I CAN DO IT. SEE IF I CAN DO IT IN THREE MINUTES, FOLKS. SO FIRST OF ALL, THANK YOU TO THE PEOPLE WHO HAVE BEEN COMING IN AND ENGAGING, AND I WANT THE COMMUNITY TO KNOW THAT I HAVE ACTUALLY BEEN ENGAGING AND WORKING WITH THE ACLU ON

[03:30:02]

EVEN IF YOU SEE AND YOU THINK YOU SEE A CLEAR GOAL, YOU'VE GOT TO MAKE SURE ONE OF THE THINGS THAT'S A PROBLEM IN GOVERNMENT IS THE LAW OF UNINTENDED CONSEQUENCES. WHEN YOU THINK YOU'RE DOING A AND IN FACT, YOU DO THE OPPOSITE. AND SO I WANT, YOU KNOW, YOU ALL WHO ARE STILL HERE TONIGHT, BUT ALSO WHO ARE GOING TO WATCH THIS TO UNDERSTAND THAT WE ARE COMMITTED TO MOVING THAT DISCUSSION FORWARD. I THINK ALL OF US ARE. SO I WILL YOU KNOW, EVERY TIME SOMEONE COMES UP AND SAYS THEY WANT US TO, THEY SUPPORT THE SIX SANCTUARY CITIES. I SORT OF WANT TO SAY, YEAH, US TOO. THE HEART OF THOSE SANCTUARY CITIES HAVE BEEN WERE, AS COMMISSIONER NOTED, ADOPTED A NUMBER OF YEARS AGO. I'VE GONE OVER THAT.

THEY'RE NOW THE EXPLANATIONS NOW ON THE CITY WEBSITE. PEOPLE CAN GO LOOK AT IT. BUT FRANKLY, I'M GLAD THAT SOME OF THE ADVOCATES HAVE NOW STOPPED EMPHASIZING THAT AND STARTED TALKING ABOUT WHAT IS PRODUCTIVE, WHICH IS THE TOPICS THAT THE ACLU HAS FRONTED.

THERE ARE SOME THERE'S SOME WORK WE CAN POTENTIALLY DO ON VISAS. THERE'S POTENTIAL WORK WE CAN DO AROUND FLOCK CAMERAS, AND THERE'S POTENTIALLY WORK WE CAN DO AROUND, AROUND SANCTUARY POLICIES, FOR LACK OF A BETTER WAY TO PUT IT. AND THERE ARE POSSIBILITIES FOR, FOR MOVEMENT THERE AND FOR IMPROVEMENT. AND FRANKLY, I'M EXCITED TO HAVE THOSE CONVERSATIONS. AND I THINK A LOT OF US ARE. SECOND THING I WILL SAY IS I, I WAS THE MAN WHO CAME IN AND TALKED ABOUT SNOW REMOVAL IS A MAN AFTER MY OWN HEART. MY DAUGHTER IS BLIND. SHE ESSENTIALLY CAN'T GET DOWN. SHE'S HOMEBOUND. IF ONE PERSON OUT OF 20 DOESN'T SHOVEL THE SIDEWALK BECAUSE SHE CAN'T FIND IT WITH A CANE, IF IT'S GOT SNOW ALL OVER IT, I WOULD LOVE TO HAVE MOVEMENT ON BETTER SNOW SNOW REMOVAL. ONE OF THE OPTIONS IS TO THINK ABOUT THE CITY DOING IT SO WE HAVE UNIFORMITY. IT'S VERY HARD. OUR CURRENT ORDINANCE IS VERY HARD TO ENFORCE BECAUSE IF ONE FLAKE OF SNOW DROPS, IT HITS THE RESET BUTTON. ON THE 24 HOURS THAT YOU HAVE 24 HOUR GRACE PERIOD, WE GIVE PEOPLE TO SHOVEL THEIR WALKS. SO IT'S TRICKY. I KNOW THIS BECAUSE I'VE BEEN TRYING FOR 20 YEARS TO GET PEOPLE WHO MAKE NO APPARENT EFFORT TO SHOVEL THEIR WALKS. I HAVE A LIST. WHEN I WALK TO WORK, I KEEP A LIST, BUT IT IS SOMETHING THAT I THINK WE NEED TO KEEP WORKING ON. I REALLY WANT TO SHOUT OUT OUR CITY MANAGER BECAUSE OUR OUR COMMUNITY'S CHILDREN CAME UP AND I'M GLAD. I'M PROUD OF US FOR CONTINUING TO SUPPORT THAT AND PICKING UP SLACK FROM THE SCHOOLS DROPPING OF THAT LINE ITEM. BUT I WANT TO THANK YOU, CITY MANAGER, FOR RECOMMENDING THAT WE CONTINUE TO SUPPORT IT AND PICK UP THAT SLACK. BUT ALSO, I WOULD JUST WANT TO RECOGNIZE, LIKE FOR YOU, I KNOW THIS IS A PIECE OF A BIGGER PUZZLE. SO YOUR GROW 1000, YOUR GENERAL COMMITMENT TO FIGURING OUT HOW WE CAN ACTUALLY PROVIDE SUCCESSFUL, PROSPEROUS FUTURE FOR THE, THE, THE YOUNG FOLKS IN OUR COMMUNITY. AND, YOU KNOW, A LOT OF THE WORK WE DO AROUND COMMUNITY BASED ATTEMPTS TO MITIGATE VIOLENCE, ALL OF THAT I KNOW IS NEAR AND DEAR TO YOUR HEART CAME UP TODAY. I JUST WANTED TO GIVE YOU A SHOUT OUT. I KNOW IT'S A, I KNOW IT'S A CORE VALUE FOR YOU. AND IT'S SOMETHING YOU'VE BEEN WORKING ON FOR A LONG TIME. I WOULD URGE THOSE OF YOU WHO ACTUALLY WANT TO KNOW WHAT ABDUL THINKS TO GO DO RESEARCH, BECAUSE IT'S NOT HARD TO FIGURE OUT WHAT HE ACTUALLY SAYS ON THINGS. I'M GOING TO LEAVE IT AT THAT. EVERY TIME I GO AND LOOK, IT TURNS OUT IT'S NOT WHAT SOMEBODY ELSE TOLD ME. IT'S FAIRLY IMPRESSIVE AND ARTICULATE, SO GO TAKE A LOOK. THE I THANKS TO IS IT DUSTIN WHO ACTUALLY STAYED ONE OF THE ONE OF OUR PRIZEWINNERS WHO ACTUALLY STAYED AT THE END. I LOVE THE IDEA OF CLEANUP. WE'VE GOT A RIVER CLEANUP. AS YOU PROBABLY KNOW, WE'VE GOT A NEIGHBORHOOD CLEANUP IN THE SPRING. LET'S KEEP TALKING ABOUT THAT. SO, YOU KNOW, IT'S A IT'S A PRIORITY FOR THE CITY.

BUT I, WE ALL WE'RE ALL UP HERE SMILING, THE CITIZEN ACTUALLY TAKING SOME INITIATIVE ON THAT AND PLANNING IT OUT. YOU KNOW, WE OUGHT TO GIVE YOU A GOLD STAR OR SOMETHING, BUT LET'S GET IT TO THE FINISH LINE. GLAD, GLAD YOU'RE WORKING ON IT. THE LAST THING I WANT TO SAY, AND I JUST WANT TO SAY THIS BECAUSE FOR ME, EIGHT DAYS AGO, SOMETHING KIND OF SNAPPED. I SPENT A GOOD CHUNK OF MY DAY IN AN ICE OFFICE MAKING DOING MY BEST TO ENSURE THAT A PERSON WHO WENT IN THE FRONT DOOR WENT BACK OUT THE FRONT DOOR, AND HE DID. AND SO I HAD LIMITED

[03:35:05]

WHAT WE NEED IS A BROAD WORK VISA PROGRAM AND A REASONABLE PATH TO CITIZENSHIP. THAT'S ALL WE NEED. WE'VE BEEN TALKING THIS ABOUT THIS FOR 30 YEARS. AT THE FEDERAL LEVEL, IT GETS DERAILED TIME AND TIME AGAIN. IT IS NOT HISTORICALLY BEEN A ONE PARTY CONCERN. IT'S BEEN SOMETHING THAT REPUBLICANS HAVE OCCASIONALLY MANAGED TO GET TOGETHER WITH DEMOCRATS ON, BRIEFLY, TANTALIZINGLY. BUT ONE OF THE WAYS YOU LOSE DEMOCRACY IS WHEN YOUR GOVERNMENT DOESN'T DO ANYTHING. AND THAT'S MY CENTRAL FRUSTRATION ON ON AT THE FEDERAL LEVEL. I MEAN, I THINK THAT ICE. I HAVE A HARD TIME TOLERATING THE THE PRESENCE OF ICE IN OUR COMMUNITY. SO DOES EVERYBODY UP ON THIS DAIS. IT MAKES ME SICK TO THINK ABOUT SOME OF THE THINGS THAT WE'VE HAD TO WITNESS. BUT THE REAL, THE REAL ITEM WE NEED TO FOCUS ON IS NOT WHO'S ENFORCING UNJUST LAWS THAT MAKE NO SENSE, THAT HAVE NEEDED FIXING FOR 30 YEARS AND HOW THEY ENFORCE IT. BUT IT'S GETTING RID OF THOSE UNJUST LAWS THAT MAKE NO SENSE THAT WE'VE BEEN TRYING TO FIX FOR 30 YEARS. THIS SYSTEM NEEDS TO BE FIXED. AND AT THE END OF THE DAY, THAT IS A FEDERAL ELECTED PROBLEM THAT IS NOT OF THIS DAIS PROBLEM. SO THAT IS MY PERSONAL STATEMENT ON THIS. BUT I JUST WANT YOU ALL. I HOPE THAT YOU ALL WILL START DEMANDING BETTER AND DEMANDING SPECIFICITY FROM FROM YOUR FEDERAL REPRESENTATIVES ON THIS ISSUE, BECAUSE IT IS A HUMANITARIAN CRISIS, IT IS A MORAL CRISIS, AND IT IS SOMETHING THAT I AM SICK OF WAITING FOR A SOLUTION TO. AND

* This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.